EntfernungvsEntfernungenWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#3,434
“Entfernung” frequency rank
#20,232
“Entfernungen” frequency rank
23666
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Entfernung Entfernungen
Definition die Distanz, die Länge einer Strecke zwischen zwei Punkten Nominativ Plural des Substantivs Entfernung

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Entfernung and Entfernungen apart are highlighted. They share 10 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

10 ch
Entfernung
12 ch
Entfernungen

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Entfernung ([ɛntˈfɛʁnʊŋ]) and Entfernungen ([ɛntˈfɛʁnʊŋən]) 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 extra letter(s) - “Entfernung” sits inside “Entfernungen”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 23666, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Entfernung is recorded at frequency rank #3,434, classified as anoun, pronounced [ɛntˈfɛʁnʊŋ]. Entfernungen is at rank #20,232, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ɛntˈfɛʁnʊŋən].

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 23666, this pair ranks #1,858,251 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of Entfernung vs Entfernungen

Shared letters: efgnrtu. Private to "Entfernung": -. Private to "Entfernungen": -.

"Entfernung" · 10 letters · shape VCCCVCCVCC  ·  "Entfernungen" · 12 letters · shape VCCCVCCVCCVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Entfernungenfternung · enntfernung · entefrnung · entfenrung · entfernnug · entfernnung · entfernugn · entfernungg
  • Entfernungenenfternungen · enntfernungen · entefrnungen · entfenrungen · entfernnugen · entfernnungen · entfernugnen · entfernunegn

Frequency comparison

Entfernung#3,434
Entfernungen#20,232

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Entfernung" and "Entfernungen" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ɛntˈfɛʁnʊŋ] versus [ɛntˈfɛʁnʊŋən]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Entfernung" or "Entfernungen"?
"Entfernung" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #3,434 in our German list, against #20,232 for "Entfernungen". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering Entfernung vs Entfernungen

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 “Entfernung” 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