Which to use
“kämpfen” and “kämpfte” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #1,561
- “kämpfen” frequency rank
- #8,901
- “kämpfte” frequency rank
- 10462
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | kämpfen | kämpfte |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | verbale oder physische Auseinandersetzung zwischen Gegnern | 1. Person Singular Indikativ Präteritum Aktiv des Verbs kämpfen |
Where the eye mixes kämpfen and kämpfte
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 6 letters in sequence. kämpfen (CVCCCVC) and kämpfte (CVCCCCV) run the same length but a different consonant-vowel pattern - the shape difference is usually the fastest tell.
Visual trap between kämpfen and kämpfte
A purely visual mix-up. kämpfen ([ˈkɛmp͡fn̩]) and kämpfte ([ˈkɛmp͡ftə]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 10462, 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]. kämpfte is at rank #8,901, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈkɛmp͡ftə].
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 10462, this pair ranks #1,975,003 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of kämpfen vs kämpfte
Shared letters: efkmpä. Private to "kämpfen": n. Private to "kämpfte": t.
"kämpfen" · 7 letters · shape CVCCCVC · "kämpfte" · 7 letters · shape CVCCCCV
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "kämpfen" and "kämpfte" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "kämpfen" or "kämpfte"?
After this comparison
Pronunciation already separates them, if the page still looks alike, the dictionary links below settle it.
- Full dictionary entry for "kämpfen" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "kämpfte" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,975,003 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "kämpfen" and "kämpfte" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "kämpfst vs kämpfte". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #1,975,003 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.