generellvsgenerelleWhat's the difference?

Which to use

“generell” and “generelle” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#2,718
“generell” frequency rank
#12,924
“generelle” frequency rank
15642
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature generell generelle
Definition allgemein verbindlich, immer gültig für alle oder fast alle Fälle Nominativ Singular Femininum der starken Deklination des Positivs des Adjektivs generell

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set generell and generelle apart are highlighted. They share 8 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

8 ch
generell
9 ch
generelle

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. generell ([ɡenəˈʁɛl]) and generelle ([ɡenəˈʁɛlə]) 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) - “generell” sits inside “generelle”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 15642, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

generell is recorded at frequency rank #2,718, classified as anadj, pronounced [ɡenəˈʁɛl]. generelle is at rank #12,924, tagged as anadj, pronounced [ɡenəˈʁɛlə].

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 15642, this pair ranks #1,942,245 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of generell vs generelle

Shared letters: eglnr. Private to "generell": -. Private to "generelle": -.

"generell" · 8 letters · shape CVCVCVCC  ·  "generelle" · 9 letters · shape CVCVCVCCV

Known mistypes of this pair

  • generellegnerell · geenrell · geneerll · generel · generlel · generrell · gennerell · genreell
  • generelleegnerelle · geenrelle · geneerlle · generele · generelel · generlele · generrelle · gennerelle

Frequency comparison

generell#2,718
generelle#12,924

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "generell" and "generelle" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ɡenəˈʁɛl] versus [ɡenəˈʁɛlə]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "generell" or "generelle"?
"generell" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #2,718 in our German list, against #12,924 for "generelle". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering generell vs generelle

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 “generell” 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