checkvscheckenWhat's the difference?

Which to use

“check” and “checken” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#5,156
“check” frequency rank
#11,025
“checken” frequency rank
16181
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature check checken
Definition 2. Person Singular Imperativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs checken neudeutsch, überprüfen

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set check and checken apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

5 ch
check
7 ch
checken

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

check and checken form a confusable pair in the German index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They differ by 2 extra letter(s) - “check” sits inside “checken” - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 16181, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

check is recorded at frequency rank #5,156, classified as averb, pronounced [t͡ʃɛk]. checken is at rank #11,025, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈt͡ʃɛkn̩].

Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.

With a confusion score of 16181, this pair ranks #1,937,907 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Frequency comparison

check#5,156
checken#11,025

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "check" and "checken" be used interchangeably?
No, "check" and "checken" have distinct meanings and cannot be swapped without changing the meaning of a sentence. Understanding the specific definition and context for each word is essential for correct usage.

Remembering check vs checken

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

  • Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
  • See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “check” entry
  • Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list