Which to use
“existieren” and “existierten” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #3,578
- “existieren” frequency rank
- #28,644
- “existierten” frequency rank
- 32222
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | existieren | existierten |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | da sein, vorhanden sein, ein Teil der Realität sein | 1. Person Plural Indikativ Präteritum Aktiv des Verbs existieren |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set existieren and existierten apart are highlighted. They share 10 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. existieren ([ˌɛksɪsˈtiːʁən]) and existierten ([ˌɛksɪsˈtiːɐ̯tn̩]) 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 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 32222, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
existieren is recorded at frequency rank #3,578, classified as averb, pronounced [ˌɛksɪsˈtiːʁən]. existierten is at rank #28,644, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˌɛksɪsˈtiːɐ̯tn̩].
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 32222, this pair ranks #1,712,127 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of existieren vs existierten
Shared letters: einrstx. Private to "existieren": -. Private to "existierten": -.
"existieren" · 10 letters · shape VCVCCVVCVC · "existierten" · 11 letters · shape VCVCCVVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
- existieren ← eixstieren · exisiteren · exisstieren · existeiren · existieern · existierenn · existierne · existierren
- existierten ← eixstierten · exisiterten · exisstierten · existeirten · existieretn · existierrten · existiertenn · existiertne
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "existieren" and "existierten" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "existieren" or "existierten"?
Remembering existieren vs existierten
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 “existieren” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable