entbundenvsentzündenWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#30,026
“entbunden” frequency rank
#28,628
“entzünden” frequency rank
58654
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature entbunden entzünden
Definition Partizip Perfekt des Verbs entbinden in Brand setzen

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set entbunden and entzünden apart are highlighted. They share 7 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

9 ch
entbunden
9 ch
entzünden

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. entbunden ([ɛntˈbʊndn̩]) and entzünden ([ɛntˈt͡sʏndn̩]) 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 58654, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

entbunden is recorded at frequency rank #30,026, classified as averb, pronounced [ɛntˈbʊndn̩]. entzünden is at rank #28,628, tagged as averb, pronounced [ɛntˈt͡sʏndn̩].

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 58654, this pair ranks #854,397 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of entbunden vs entzünden

Shared letters: dent. Private to "entbunden": bu. Private to "entzünden": .

"entbunden" · 9 letters · shape VCCCVCCVC  ·  "entzünden" · 9 letters · shape VCCCVCCVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • entbundenenbtunden · enntbunden · entbbunden · entbnuden · entbudnen · entbundden · entbundenn · entbundne

Frequency comparison

entbunden#30,026
entzünden#28,628

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "entbunden" and "entzünden" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ɛntˈbʊndn̩] versus [ɛntˈt͡sʏndn̩]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "entbunden" or "entzünden"?
"entzünden" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #28,628 in our German list, against #30,026 for "entbunden". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering entbunden vs entzünden

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 “entbunden” 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