Which to use
“erlangen” and “errungen” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #3,885
- “erlangen” frequency rank
- #19,559
- “errungen” frequency rank
- 23444
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | erlangen | errungen |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | in Besitz nehmen, habhaft werden, erreichen | Partizip Perfekt des Verbs erringen |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set erlangen and errungen apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. erlangen ([ɛɐ̯ˈlaŋən]) and errungen ([ɛɐ̯ˈʁʊŋən]) 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 23444, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
erlangen is recorded at frequency rank #3,885, classified as averb, pronounced [ɛɐ̯ˈlaŋən]. errungen is at rank #19,559, tagged as averb, pronounced [ɛɐ̯ˈʁʊŋən].
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 23444, this pair ranks #1,861,242 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of erlangen vs errungen
Shared letters: egnr. Private to "erlangen": al. Private to "errungen": u.
"erlangen" · 8 letters · shape VCCVCCVC · "errungen" · 8 letters · shape VCCVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "erlangen" and "errungen" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "erlangen" or "errungen"?
Remembering erlangen vs errungen
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 “erlangen” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable