Which to use
“Datei” and “Dativ” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #5,814
- “Datei” frequency rank
- #27,674
- “Dativ” frequency rank
- 33488
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Datei | Dativ |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | auf einem Datenträger gespeicherte und durch einen Namen identifizierte Daten | Wem-Fall, (im Deutschen und Lateinischen) 3. Fall (Kasus) |
Where the eye mixes Datei and Dativ
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 4 letters in sequence.
Visual trap between Datei and Dativ
A purely visual mix-up. Datei ([daˈtaɪ̯]) and Dativ ([ˈdaːtiːf]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 33488, 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]. Dativ is at rank #27,674, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈdaːtiːf].
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 33488, this pair ranks #1,684,926 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of Datei vs Dativ
Shared letters: adit. Private to "Datei": e. Private to "Dativ": v.
"Datei" · 5 letters · shape CVCVV · "Dativ" · 5 letters · shape CVCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "Datei" and "Dativ" be used interchangeably?
In ordinary German text, does "Datei" or "Dativ" show up more?
Useful next steps
Eye-level mix-up between "Datei" and "Dativ" 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 "Dativ" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,684,926 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "Datei" and "Dativ" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "dai vs Dativ". 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 #1,684,926 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.