Which to use
“ertränken” and “ertrinken” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #48,860
- “ertränken” frequency rank
- #13,816
- “ertrinken” frequency rank
- 62676
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | ertränken | ertrinken |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | jemanden oder etwas töten, indem man die Atmungsorgane unter Wasser hält | im Wasser untergehen und dadurch zu Tode kommen |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set ertränken and ertrinken apart are highlighted. They share 8 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. ertränken ([ɛɐ̯ˈtʁɛŋkn̩]) and ertrinken ([ɛɐ̯ˈtʁɪŋkn̩]) 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 a single letter - ä in “ertränken” becomes i in “ertrinken”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 62676, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
ertränken is recorded at frequency rank #48,860, classified as averb, pronounced [ɛɐ̯ˈtʁɛŋkn̩]. ertrinken is at rank #13,816, tagged as averb, pronounced [ɛɐ̯ˈtʁɪŋkn̩].
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 62676, this pair ranks #704,162 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of ertränken vs ertrinken
Shared letters: eknrt. Private to "ertränken": ä. Private to "ertrinken": i.
"ertränken" · 9 letters · shape VCCCVCCVC · "ertrinken" · 9 letters · shape VCCCVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
- ertrinken ← errtinken · errtrinken · ertirnken · ertriknen · ertrinekn · ertrinkenn · ertrinkken · ertrinkne
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "ertränken" and "ertrinken" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "ertränken" or "ertrinken"?
Remembering ertränken vs ertrinken
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 “ertränken” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable