filevsfilmteWhat's the difference?

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

Which to use

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

#24,335
“file” frequency rank
#45,928
“filmte” frequency rank
70263
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature file filmte
Definition Behältnis zur geordneten Aufbewahrung von Briefen oder anderen Dokumenten 1. Person Singular Indikativ Präteritum Aktiv des Verbs filmen

Where the spellings diverge

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

4 ch
file
6 ch
filmte

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: file is [faɪl] while filmte is [ˈfɪlmtə]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 2 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 70263, 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]. filmte is at rank #45,928, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈfɪlmtə].

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 70263, this pair ranks #451,597 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.

Orthographic DNA of file vs filmte

Shared letters: efil. Private to "file": -. Private to "filmte": mt.

"file" · 4 letters · shape CVCV  ·  "filmte" · 6 letters · shape CVCCCV

Known mistypes of this pair

  • fileffile · fille · flie · ifle
  • filmteffilmte · fillmte · filmet · filmmte · filmtte · filtme · fimlte · flimte

Frequency comparison

file#24,335
filmte#45,928

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "file" and "filmte" be used interchangeably?
No - they are not even the same part of speech. "file" is a noun and "filmte" a verb, so a sentence built for one is usually ungrammatical with the other.
Which is more common, "file" or "filmte"?
"file" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #24,335 in our German list, against #45,928 for "filmte". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering file vs filmte

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

  • Check the role first: if you need a noun, it's “file”; for a verb, it's “filmte”.
  • See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “file” 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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list