Which to use
“Empfindung” and “Erfindung” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #33,557
- “Empfindung” frequency rank
- #6,414
- “Erfindung” frequency rank
- 39971
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Empfindung | Erfindung |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | sinnliche Wahrnehmung, körperliches Gefühl | besondere, nicht auf der Hand liegende, materielle Konstrukte oder Verfahren, die neue und nützliche Anwendungen ermöglichen |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Empfindung and Erfindung apart are highlighted. They share 8 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. Empfindung ([ɛmˈp͡fɪndʊŋ]) and Erfindung ([ɛɐ̯ˈfɪndʊŋ]) 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 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 39971, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Empfindung is recorded at frequency rank #33,557, classified as anoun, pronounced [ɛmˈp͡fɪndʊŋ]. Erfindung is at rank #6,414, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ɛɐ̯ˈfɪndʊŋ].
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 39971, this pair ranks #1,521,713 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of Empfindung vs Erfindung
Shared letters: defginu. Private to "Empfindung": mp. Private to "Erfindung": r.
"Empfindung" · 10 letters · shape VCCCVCCVCC · "Erfindung" · 9 letters · shape VCCVCCVCC
Known mistypes of this pair
- Empfindung ← emfpindung · emmpfindung · empffindung · empfidnung · empfinddung · empfindnug · empfindugn · empfindungg
- Erfindung ← efrindung · erffindung · erfidnung · erfinddung · erfindnug · erfindugn · erfindungg · erfindunng
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "Empfindung" and "Erfindung" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "Empfindung" or "Erfindung"?
Remembering Empfindung vs Erfindung
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 “Empfindung” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable