getanvsgetanktWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#1,182
“getan” frequency rank
#37,540
“getankt” frequency rank
38722
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature getan getankt
Definition Partizip Perfekt des Verbs tun Partizip Perfekt des Verbs tanken

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set getan and getankt apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

5 ch
getan
7 ch
getankt

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. getan ([ɡəˈtaːn]) and getankt ([ɡəˈtaŋkt]) 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) - “getan” sits inside “getankt”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 38722, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

getan is recorded at frequency rank #1,182, classified as averb, pronounced [ɡəˈtaːn]. getankt is at rank #37,540, tagged as averb, pronounced [ɡəˈtaŋkt].

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 38722, this pair ranks #1,556,340 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of getan vs getankt

Shared letters: aegnt. Private to "getan": -. Private to "getankt": k.

"getan" · 5 letters · shape CVCVC  ·  "getankt" · 7 letters · shape CVCVCCC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • getanegtan · geatn · getann · getna · gettan · ggetan · gtean
  • getanktegtankt · geatnkt · getaknt · getankkt · getanktt · getannkt · getantk · getnakt

Frequency comparison

getan#1,182
getankt#37,540

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "getan" and "getankt" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ɡəˈtaːn] versus [ɡəˈtaŋkt]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "getan" or "getankt"?
"getan" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #1,182 in our German list, against #37,540 for "getankt". That is a wide gap, so in ordinary text the rarer spelling is the one worth double-checking.

Remembering getan vs getankt

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 “getan” 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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list