enthältvserhältWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#1,474
“enthält” frequency rank
#1,548
“erhält” frequency rank
3022
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature enthält erhält
Definition 3. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs enthalten 3. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs erhalten

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set enthält and erhält apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

7 ch
enthält
6 ch
erhält

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. enthält ([ɛntˈhɛlt]) and erhält ([ɛɐ̯ˈhɛlt]) 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 3022, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

enthält is recorded at frequency rank #1,474, classified as averb, pronounced [ɛntˈhɛlt]. erhält is at rank #1,548, tagged as averb, pronounced [ɛɐ̯ˈhɛlt].

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 3022, this pair ranks #2,001,117 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of enthält vs erhält

Shared letters: ehltä. Private to "enthält": n. Private to "erhält": r.

"enthält" · 7 letters · shape VCCCVCC  ·  "erhält" · 6 letters · shape VCCVCC

Frequency comparison

enthält#1,474
erhält#1,548

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "enthält" and "erhält" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ɛntˈhɛlt] versus [ɛɐ̯ˈhɛlt]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "enthält" or "erhält"?
"enthält" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #1,474 in our German list, against #1,548 for "erhält". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering enthält vs erhält

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 “enthält” 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