Which to use
“Datei” and “Dateien” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #5,814
- “Datei” frequency rank
- #8,539
- “Dateien” frequency rank
- 14353
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Datei | Dateien |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | auf einem Datenträger gespeicherte und durch einen Namen identifizierte Daten | Nominativ Plural des Substantivs Datei |
Where the eye mixes Datei and Dateien
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 5 letters in sequence.
Why the eye confuses Datei with Dateien
A purely visual mix-up. Datei ([daˈtaɪ̯]) and Dateien ([daˈtaɪ̯ən]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by 2 extra letter(s) - “Datei” sits inside “Dateien”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 14353, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Datei is recorded at frequency rank #5,814, classified as anoun, pronounced [daˈtaɪ̯]. Dateien is at rank #8,539, tagged as anoun, pronounced [daˈtaɪ̯ən].
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 14353, this pair ranks #1,951,793 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of Datei vs Dateien
Shared letters: adeit. Private to "Datei": -. Private to "Dateien": n.
"Datei" · 5 letters · shape CVCVV · "Dateien" · 7 letters · shape CVCVVVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "Datei" for "Dateien" ever safe?
Frequency check: "Datei" vs "Dateien" - which ranks higher?
What to do next
Pronunciation already separates them, if the page still looks alike, the dictionary links below settle it.
- Full dictionary entry for "Datei" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "Dateien" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,951,793 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "Datei" and "Dateien" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "dare vs Datei". Nearby pair
- Recorded mistypes exist for at least one side of this pair, useful when a spell-checker or OCR lands on the wrong form. See mistypes
Confusion rank #1,951,793 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.