Which to use
“erkranken” and “ertränken” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #19,895
- “erkranken” frequency rank
- #48,860
- “ertränken” frequency rank
- 68755
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | erkranken | ertränken |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | krank werden; eine Krankheit bekommen | jemanden oder etwas töten, indem man die Atmungsorgane unter Wasser hält |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set erkranken and ertränken apart are highlighted. They share 7 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. erkranken ([ɛɐ̯ˈkʁaŋkn̩]) and ertränken ([ɛɐ̯ˈtʁɛŋkn̩]) 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 68755, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
erkranken is recorded at frequency rank #19,895, classified as averb, pronounced [ɛɐ̯ˈkʁaŋkn̩]. ertränken is at rank #48,860, tagged as averb, pronounced [ɛɐ̯ˈtʁɛŋkn̩].
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 68755, this pair ranks #497,866 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.
Orthographic DNA of erkranken vs ertränken
Shared letters: eknr. Private to "erkranken": a. Private to "ertränken": tä.
"erkranken" · 9 letters · shape VCCCVCCVC · "ertränken" · 9 letters · shape VCCCVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
- erkranken ← ekrranken · erkarnken · erkkranken · erkraknen · erkranekn · erkrankenn · erkrankken · erkrankne
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "erkranken" and "ertränken" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "erkranken" or "ertränken"?
Remembering erkranken vs ertränken
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 “erkranken” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable