Which to use
“gebrochen” is an adjective and “gekrochen” is a verb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #4,510
- “gebrochen” frequency rank
- #32,552
- “gekrochen” frequency rank
- 37062
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | gebrochen | gekrochen |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | eine Bruchzahl darstellend | Partizip Perfekt des Verbs kriechen |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set gebrochen and gekrochen apart are highlighted. They share 8 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: gebrochen is [ɡəˈbʁɔxn̩] while gekrochen is [ɡəˈkʁɔxn̩]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by a single letter - b in “gebrochen” becomes k in “gekrochen”, and the parts of speech differ too (adjective vs verb), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 37062, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
gebrochen is recorded at frequency rank #4,510, classified as anadj, pronounced [ɡəˈbʁɔxn̩]. gekrochen is at rank #32,552, tagged as averb, pronounced [ɡəˈkʁɔxn̩].
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 37062, this pair ranks #1,599,773 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of gebrochen vs gekrochen
Shared letters: ceghnor. Private to "gebrochen": b. Private to "gekrochen": k.
"gebrochen" · 9 letters · shape CVCCVCCVC · "gekrochen" · 9 letters · shape CVCCVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "gebrochen" and "gekrochen" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "gebrochen" or "gekrochen"?
Remembering gebrochen vs gekrochen
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need an adjective, it's “gebrochen”; for a verb, it's “gekrochen”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “gebrochen” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable