FeigenvsFeindenWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#23,121
“Feigen” frequency rank
#15,358
“Feinden” frequency rank
38479
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Feigen Feinden
Definition Nominativ Plural des Substantivs Feige Dativ Plural des Substantivs Feind

Where the spellings diverge

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

6 ch
Feigen
7 ch
Feinden

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Feigen ([ˈfaɪ̯ɡn̩]) and Feinden ([ˈfaɪ̯ndn̩]) 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 38479, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Feigen is recorded at frequency rank #23,121, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈfaɪ̯ɡn̩]. Feinden is at rank #15,358, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈfaɪ̯ndn̩].

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 38479, this pair ranks #1,562,885 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of Feigen vs Feinden

Shared letters: efin. Private to "Feigen": g. Private to "Feinden": d.

"Feigen" · 6 letters · shape CVVCVC  ·  "Feinden" · 7 letters · shape CVVCCVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Feigenefigen · fegien · feiegn · feigenn · feiggen · feigne · ffeigen · fiegen
  • Feindenefinden · feidnen · feindden · feindenn · feindne · feinedn · feinnden · feniden

Frequency comparison

Feigen#23,121
Feinden#15,358

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Feigen" and "Feinden" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈfaɪ̯ɡn̩] versus [ˈfaɪ̯ndn̩]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Feigen" or "Feinden"?
"Feinden" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #15,358 in our German list, against #23,121 for "Feigen". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering Feigen vs Feinden

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 “Feigen” 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