Which to use
“Ficke” and “file” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #28,189
- “Ficke” frequency rank
- #24,335
- “file” frequency rank
- 52524
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Ficke | file |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Tasche in einem Kleidungsstück | Behältnis zur geordneten Aufbewahrung von Briefen oder anderen Dokumenten |
Where the eye mixes Ficke and file
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 3 letters in sequence. Ficke runs 5 letters (CVCCV) against file's 4 (CVCV) - the length gap alone is often enough to separate them once you know to check it.
Why the eye confuses Ficke with file
A purely visual mix-up. Ficke ([ˈfɪkə]) and file ([faɪl]) 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 52524, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Ficke is recorded at frequency rank #28,189, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈfɪkə]. file is at rank #24,335, tagged as anoun, pronounced [faɪl].
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 52524, this pair ranks #1,093,420 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of Ficke vs file
Shared letters: efi. Private to "Ficke": ck. Private to "file": l.
"Ficke" · 5 letters · shape CVCCV · "file" · 4 letters · shape CVCV
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "Ficke" for "file" ever safe?
Which is more common, "Ficke" or "file"?
After this comparison
Pronunciation already separates them, if the page still looks alike, the dictionary links below settle it.
- Full dictionary entry for "Ficke" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "file" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,093,420 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "Ficke" and "file" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "Ficke vs Fock". Nearby pair
- Recorded mistypes exist for at least one side of this pair, useful when a spell-checker or OCR lands on the wrong form. See mistypes
Confusion rank #1,093,420 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.