Which to use
“gegenwärtig” and “gegenwärtigen” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #8,061
- “gegenwärtig” frequency rank
- #11,241
- “gegenwärtigen” frequency rank
- 19302
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | gegenwärtig | gegenwärtigen |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | jetzig, in der Gegenwart geschehend; sich im zeitlichen Jetzt zwischen der Vergangenheit und der Zukunft ereignend | Genitiv Singular Maskulinum der starken Deklination des Positivs des Adjektivs gegenwärtig |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set gegenwärtig and gegenwärtigen apart are highlighted. They share 11 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. gegenwärtig ([ˈɡeːɡn̩ˌvɛʁtɪç]) and gegenwärtigen ([ˈɡeːɡn̩ˌvɛʁtɪɡn̩]) 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 2 extra letter(s) - “gegenwärtig” sits inside “gegenwärtigen”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 19302, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
gegenwärtig is recorded at frequency rank #8,061, classified as anadj, pronounced [ˈɡeːɡn̩ˌvɛʁtɪç]. gegenwärtigen is at rank #11,241, tagged as anadj, pronounced [ˈɡeːɡn̩ˌvɛʁtɪɡn̩].
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 19302, this pair ranks #1,909,786 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of gegenwärtig vs gegenwärtigen
Shared letters: eginrtwä. Private to "gegenwärtig": -. Private to "gegenwärtigen": -.
"gegenwärtig" · 11 letters · shape CVCVCCVCCVC · "gegenwärtigen" · 13 letters · shape CVCVCCVCCVCVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "gegenwärtig" and "gegenwärtigen" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "gegenwärtig" or "gegenwärtigen"?
Remembering gegenwärtig vs gegenwärtigen
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 “gegenwärtig” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable