filevsfilmtWhich spelling fits?

Quick tell: file is a noun, filmt is a verb, so they fill different roles in a sentence.

Which to use

“file” is a noun and “filmt” is a verb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.

#24,335
“file” frequency rank
#26,868
“filmt” frequency rank
51203
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature file filmt
Definition Behältnis zur geordneten Aufbewahrung von Briefen oder anderen Dokumenten 2. Person Plural Imperativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs filmen

Where the eye mixes file and filmt

Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 3 letters in sequence.

4 ch
file
5 ch
filmt

Visual trap between file and filmt

These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: file is [faɪl] while filmt is [fɪlmt]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (noun vs verb), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 51203, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

file is recorded at frequency rank #24,335, classified as anoun, pronounced [faɪl]. filmt is at rank #26,868, tagged as averb, pronounced [fɪlmt].

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 51203, this pair ranks #1,144,517 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of file vs filmt

Shared letters: fil. Private to "file": e. Private to "filmt": mt.

"file" · 4 letters · shape CVCV  ·  "filmt" · 5 letters · shape CVCCC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • fileffile · fille · flie · ifle
  • filmtffilmt · fillmt · filmmt · filmtt · filtm · fimlt · flimt · iflmt

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "file" and "filmt" be used interchangeably?
No - they are not even the same part of speech. "file" is a noun and "filmt" a verb, so a sentence built for one is usually ungrammatical with the other.
Which is more common, "file" or "filmt"?
"file" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #24,335 in our German list, against #26,868 for "filmt". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

After this comparison

Pronunciation already separates them, if the page still looks alike, the dictionary links below settle it.

  • Full dictionary entry for "file" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
  • Full dictionary entry for "filmt" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
  • This pair ranks #1,144,517 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
  • "file" and "filmt" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "filmt vs fist". 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 #1,144,517 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list