kämpfenvskämpftWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#1,561
“kämpfen” frequency rank
#4,368
“kämpft” frequency rank
5929
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature kämpfen kämpft
Definition verbale oder physische Auseinandersetzung zwischen Gegnern 3. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs kämpfen

Where the spellings diverge

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

7 ch
kämpfen
6 ch
kämpft

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. kämpfen ([ˈkɛmp͡fn̩]) and kämpft ([kɛmp͡ft]) 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 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 5929, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

kämpfen is recorded at frequency rank #1,561, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈkɛmp͡fn̩]. kämpft is at rank #4,368, tagged as averb, pronounced [kɛmp͡ft].

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 5929, this pair ranks #1,993,268 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of kämpfen vs kämpft

Shared letters: fkmpä. Private to "kämpfen": en. Private to "kämpft": t.

"kämpfen" · 7 letters · shape CVCCCVC  ·  "kämpft" · 6 letters · shape CVCCCC

Frequency comparison

kämpfen#1,561
kämpft#4,368

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "kämpfen" and "kämpft" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈkɛmp͡fn̩] versus [kɛmp͡ft]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "kämpfen" or "kämpft"?
"kämpfen" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #1,561 in our German list, against #4,368 for "kämpft". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering kämpfen vs kämpft

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 “kämpfen” 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