Which to use
“ergänzen” is a verb and “Ergänzung” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #7,312
- “ergänzen” frequency rank
- #6,292
- “Ergänzung” frequency rank
- 13604
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | ergänzen | Ergänzung |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | zur Bereicherung hinzufügen | Akt der Hinzufügung fehlender Elemente zur Vervollständigung einer bestehenden Menge |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set ergänzen and Ergänzung apart are highlighted. They share 7 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: ergänzen is [ɛɐ̯ˈɡɛnt͡sn̩] while Ergänzung is [ɛɐ̯ˈɡɛnt͡sʊŋ]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (verb vs noun), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 13604, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
ergänzen is recorded at frequency rank #7,312, classified as averb, pronounced [ɛɐ̯ˈɡɛnt͡sn̩]. Ergänzung is at rank #6,292, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ɛɐ̯ˈɡɛnt͡sʊŋ].
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 13604, this pair ranks #1,956,895 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of ergänzen vs Ergänzung
Shared letters: egnrzä. Private to "ergänzen": -. Private to "Ergänzung": u.
"ergänzen" · 8 letters · shape VCCVCCVC · "Ergänzung" · 9 letters · shape VCCVCCVCC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "ergänzen" and "Ergänzung" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "ergänzen" or "Ergänzung"?
Remembering ergänzen vs Ergänzung
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “ergänzen”; for a noun, it's “Ergänzung”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “ergänzen” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable