Which to use
“Dativ” and “Datum” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #27,674
- “Dativ” frequency rank
- #3,303
- “Datum” frequency rank
- 30977
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Dativ | Datum |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Wem-Fall, (im Deutschen und Lateinischen) 3. Fall (Kasus) | Angabe des Kalendertages |
Where the eye mixes Dativ and Datum
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 3 letters in sequence.
Why the eye confuses Dativ with Datum
A purely visual mix-up. Dativ ([ˈdaːtiːf]) and Datum ([ˈdaːtʊm]) 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 30977, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Dativ is recorded at frequency rank #27,674, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈdaːtiːf]. Datum is at rank #3,303, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈdaːtʊm].
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 30977, this pair ranks #1,737,234 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of Dativ vs Datum
Shared letters: adt. Private to "Dativ": iv. Private to "Datum": mu.
"Dativ" · 5 letters · shape CVCVC · "Datum" · 5 letters · shape CVCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Do "Dativ" and "Datum" mean the same thing in a sentence?
In ordinary German text, does "Dativ" or "Datum" show up more?
After this comparison
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "Dativ" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "Datum" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,737,234 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "Dativ" and "Datum" 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 #1,737,234 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.