echtvsechtenWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#394
“echt” frequency rank
#2,539
“echten” frequency rank
2933
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature echt echten
Definition unverfälscht Genitiv Singular Maskulinum der starken Deklination des Positivs des Adjektivs echt

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set echt and echten apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

4 ch
echt
6 ch
echten

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

echt and echten 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) - “echt” sits inside “echten” - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 2933, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

echt is recorded at frequency rank #394, classified as anadj, pronounced [ɛçt]. echten is at rank #2,539, tagged as anadj, pronounced [ˈɛçtn̩].

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 2933, this pair ranks #2,001,285 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Frequency comparison

echt#394
echten#2,539

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "echt" and "echten" be used interchangeably?
No, "echt" and "echten" 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 echt vs echten

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 “echt” 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