FeigenvsFersenWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#23,121
“Feigen” frequency rank
#19,212
“Fersen” frequency rank
42333
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Feigen Fersen
Definition Nominativ Plural des Substantivs Feige Nominativ Plural des Substantivs Ferse

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Feigen and Fersen apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

6 ch
Feigen
6 ch
Fersen

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Feigen ([ˈfaɪ̯ɡn̩]) and Fersen ([ˈfɛʁzn̩]) 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 42333, 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]. Fersen is at rank #19,212, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈfɛʁzn̩].

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 42333, this pair ranks #1,452,608 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of Feigen vs Fersen

Shared letters: efn. Private to "Feigen": gi. Private to "Fersen": rs.

"Feigen" · 6 letters · shape CVVCVC  ·  "Fersen" · 6 letters · shape CVCCVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Feigenefigen · fegien · feiegn · feigenn · feiggen · feigne · ffeigen · fiegen
  • Fersenefrsen · feresn · ferrsen · fersenn · fersne · fesren · ffersen

Frequency comparison

Feigen#23,121
Fersen#19,212

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Feigen" and "Fersen" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈfaɪ̯ɡn̩] versus [ˈfɛʁzn̩]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Feigen" or "Fersen"?
"Fersen" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #19,212 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 Fersen

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