Which to use
“ige” is a noun and “irre” is an adjective - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #21,298
- “ige” frequency rank
- #4,524
- “irre” frequency rank
- 25822
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | ige | irre |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Verb | an einer Störung oder Fehlleistung des Geistes- und Seelenlebens (= Geisteskrankheit) leidend |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set ige and irre apart are highlighted. They share 2 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: ige is [ˈiɡɛ] while irre is [ˈɪʁə]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (noun vs adjective), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 25822, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
ige is recorded at frequency rank #21,298, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈiɡɛ]. irre is at rank #4,524, tagged as anadj, pronounced [ˈɪʁə].
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 25822, this pair ranks #1,827,461 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of ige vs irre
Shared letters: ei. Private to "ige": g. Private to "irre": r.
"ige" · 3 letters · shape VCV · "irre" · 4 letters · shape VCCV
Known mistypes of this pair
- irre ← irer · rire
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "ige" and "irre" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "ige" or "irre"?
Remembering ige vs irre
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a noun, it's “ige”; for an adjective, it's “irre”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “ige” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable