ErgänzungvsErgänzungenWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#6,292
“Ergänzung” frequency rank
#17,278
“Ergänzungen” frequency rank
23570
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Ergänzung Ergänzungen
Definition Akt der Hinzufügung fehlender Elemente zur Vervollständigung einer bestehenden Menge Nominativ Plural des Substantivs Ergänzung

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Ergänzung and Ergänzungen apart are highlighted. They share 9 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

9 ch
Ergänzung
11 ch
Ergänzungen

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Ergänzung ([ɛɐ̯ˈɡɛnt͡sʊŋ]) and Ergänzungen ([ɛɐ̯ˈɡɛnt͡sʊŋən]) 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) - “Ergänzung” sits inside “Ergänzungen”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 23570, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Ergänzung is recorded at frequency rank #6,292, classified as anoun, pronounced [ɛɐ̯ˈɡɛnt͡sʊŋ]. Ergänzungen is at rank #17,278, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ɛɐ̯ˈɡɛnt͡sʊŋən].

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 23570, this pair ranks #1,859,526 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of Ergänzung vs Ergänzungen

Shared letters: egnruzä. Private to "Ergänzung": -. Private to "Ergänzungen": -.

"Ergänzung" · 9 letters · shape VCCVCCVCC  ·  "Ergänzungen" · 11 letters · shape VCCVCCVCCVC

Frequency comparison

Ergänzung#6,292
Ergänzungen#17,278

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Ergänzung" and "Ergänzungen" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ɛɐ̯ˈɡɛnt͡sʊŋ] versus [ɛɐ̯ˈɡɛnt͡sʊŋən]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Ergänzung" or "Ergänzungen"?
"Ergänzung" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #6,292 in our German list, against #17,278 for "Ergänzungen". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering Ergänzung vs Ergänzungen

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 “Ergänzung” 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