Which to use
“Empfang” and “Empfänger” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #4,264
- “Empfang” frequency rank
- #5,477
- “Empfänger” frequency rank
- 9741
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Empfang | Empfänger |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | das Empfangen einer Übertragung (zum Beispiel Rundfunk, Funk, Handy, …) | Person, die etwas empfängt, bekommt, erhält, entgegennimmt; jemand, der etwas in Empfang nimmt |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Empfang and Empfänger apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. Empfang ([ɛmˈp͡faŋ]) and Empfänger ([ɛmˈp͡fɛŋɐ]) 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 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 9741, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Empfang is recorded at frequency rank #4,264, classified as anoun, pronounced [ɛmˈp͡faŋ]. Empfänger is at rank #5,477, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ɛmˈp͡fɛŋɐ].
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 9741, this pair ranks #1,978,505 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of Empfang vs Empfänger
Shared letters: efgmnp. Private to "Empfang": a. Private to "Empfänger": rä.
"Empfang" · 7 letters · shape VCCCVCC · "Empfänger" · 9 letters · shape VCCCVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
- Empfang ← emfpang · emmpfang · empafng · empfagn · empfangg · empfanng · empffang · empfnag
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "Empfang" and "Empfänger" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "Empfang" or "Empfänger"?
Remembering Empfang vs Empfänger
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 “Empfang” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable