Which to use
“Datei” and “Dates” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #5,814
- “Datei” frequency rank
- #13,798
- “Dates” frequency rank
- 19612
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Datei | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | auf einem Datenträger gespeicherte und durch einen Namen identifizierte Daten | Nominativ Plural des Substantivs Date |
Where the eye mixes Datei and Dates
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 4 letters in sequence.
Look-alike desk: Datei vs Dates
A purely visual mix-up. Datei ([daˈtaɪ̯]) and Dates ([deɪt͡s]) 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 a single letter - i in “Datei” becomes s in “Dates”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 19612, 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]. Dates is at rank #13,798, tagged as anoun, pronounced [deɪt͡s].
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 19612, this pair ranks #1,906,490 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of Datei vs Dates
Shared letters: adet. Private to "Datei": i. Private to "Dates": s.
"Datei" · 5 letters · shape CVCVV · "Dates" · 5 letters · shape CVCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "Datei" and "Dates" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "Datei" or "Dates"?
Useful next steps
Eye-level mix-up between "Datei" and "Dates" is sorted above. Next: full entries or other pairs that share a letter shape.
- Full dictionary entry for "Datei" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "Dates" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,906,490 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "Datei" and "Dates" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "Dates vs dudes". 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 #1,906,490 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.