Which to use
“Flecken” and “Flicken” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #6,426
- “Flecken” frequency rank
- #31,547
- “Flicken” frequency rank
- 37973
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Flecken | Flicken |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | sich zum Beispiel durch Verschmutzung oder Farbe von der Umgebung unterscheidende Stelle | ein kleiner, meist quadratförmiger Ausschnitt eines Stoffes zur Bedeckung/Reparatur aufgerissener Löcher in Kleidungsstücken |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Flecken and Flicken apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. Flecken ([ˈflɛkn̩]) and Flicken ([ˈflɪkn̩]) 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 a single letter - e in “Flecken” becomes i in “Flicken”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 37973, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Flecken is recorded at frequency rank #6,426, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈflɛkn̩]. Flicken is at rank #31,547, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈflɪkn̩].
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 37973, this pair ranks #1,576,207 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of Flecken vs Flicken
Shared letters: cefkln. Private to "Flecken": -. Private to "Flicken": i.
"Flecken" · 7 letters · shape CCVCCVC · "Flicken" · 7 letters · shape CCVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "Flecken" and "Flicken" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "Flecken" or "Flicken"?
Remembering Flecken vs Flicken
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 “Flecken” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable