Which to use
“fem” is a num and “für” is a preposition - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #43,170
- “fem” frequency rank
- #16
- “für” frequency rank
- 43186
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | fem | für |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | fünf | etwas oder jemand ist an etwas jemanden gerichtet, bestimmt, zugeordnet |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set fem and für apart are highlighted. They share 1 letter in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: fem is [fɛmˀ] while für is [fyːɐ̯]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions, and the parts of speech differ too (num vs preposition), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 43186, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
fem is recorded at frequency rank #43,170, classified as anum, pronounced [fɛmˀ]. für is at rank #16, tagged as aprep, pronounced [fyːɐ̯].
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 43186, this pair ranks #1,425,981 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of fem vs für
Shared letters: f. Private to "fem": em. Private to "für": rü.
"fem" · 3 letters · shape CVC · "für" · 3 letters · shape CVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "fem" and "für" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "fem" or "für"?
Remembering fem vs für
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a num, it's “fem”; for a preposition, it's “für”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “fem” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable