erwähntvserzähltWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#1,288
“erwähnt” frequency rank
#926
“erzählt” frequency rank
2214
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature erwähnt erzählt
Definition Partizip Perfekt des Verbs erwähnen Partizip Perfekt des Verbs erzählen

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set erwähnt and erzählt apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

7 ch
erwähnt
7 ch
erzählt

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. erwähnt ([ɛɐ̯ˈvɛːnt]) and erzählt ([ɛɐ̯ˈt͡sɛːlt]) 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 2214, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

erwähnt is recorded at frequency rank #1,288, classified as averb, pronounced [ɛɐ̯ˈvɛːnt]. erzählt is at rank #926, tagged as averb, pronounced [ɛɐ̯ˈt͡sɛːlt].

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 2214, this pair ranks #2,002,843 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of erwähnt vs erzählt

Shared letters: ehrtä. Private to "erwähnt": nw. Private to "erzählt": lz.

"erwähnt" · 7 letters · shape VCCVCCC  ·  "erzählt" · 7 letters · shape VCCVCCC

Frequency comparison

erwähnt#1,288
erzählt#926

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "erwähnt" and "erzählt" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ɛɐ̯ˈvɛːnt] versus [ɛɐ̯ˈt͡sɛːlt]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "erwähnt" or "erzählt"?
"erzählt" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #926 in our German list, against #1,288 for "erwähnt". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering erwähnt vs erzählt

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 “erwähnt” 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