Which to use
“Funktionär” and “Funktionäre” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #21,973
- “Funktionär” frequency rank
- #15,629
- “Funktionäre” frequency rank
- 37602
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Funktionär | Funktionäre |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Person, die mit der Wahrnehmung bestimmter Aufgaben in einer Institution/Organisation (in leitender Funktion) beauftragt ist | Nominativ Plural des Substantivs Funktionär |
Where the eye mixes Funktionär and Funktionäre
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 10 letters in sequence. Funktionär runs 10 letters (CVCCCVVCVC) against Funktionäre's 11 (CVCCCVVCVCV) - the length gap alone is often enough to separate them once you know to check it.
Why the eye confuses Funktionär with Funktionäre
A purely visual mix-up. Funktionär ([fʊŋkt͡si̯oˈnɛːɐ̯]) and Funktionäre ([fʊŋkt͡si̯oˈnɛːʁə]) 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 extra letter(s) - “Funktionär” sits inside “Funktionäre”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 37602, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Funktionär is recorded at frequency rank #21,973, classified as anoun, pronounced [fʊŋkt͡si̯oˈnɛːɐ̯]. Funktionäre is at rank #15,629, tagged as anoun, pronounced [fʊŋkt͡si̯oˈnɛːʁə].
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 37602, this pair ranks #1,585,881 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of Funktionär vs Funktionäre
Shared letters: fiknortuä. Private to "Funktionär": -. Private to "Funktionäre": e.
"Funktionär" · 10 letters · shape CVCCCVVCVC · "Funktionäre" · 11 letters · shape CVCCCVVCVCV
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "Funktionär" for "Funktionäre" ever safe?
In ordinary German text, does "Funktionär" or "Funktionäre" show up more?
After this comparison
Eye-level mix-up between "Funktionär" and "Funktionäre" is sorted above. Next: full entries or other pairs that share a letter shape.
- Full dictionary entry for "Funktionär" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "Funktionäre" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,585,881 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "Funktionär" and "Funktionäre" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "Funktionär vs Funktionären". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #1,585,881 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.