kämpftvskämpfteWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#4,368
“kämpft” frequency rank
#8,901
“kämpfte” frequency rank
13269
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature kämpft kämpfte
Definition 3. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs kämpfen 1. Person Singular Indikativ Präteritum Aktiv des Verbs kämpfen

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set kämpft and kämpfte apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

6 ch
kämpft
7 ch
kämpfte

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. kämpft ([kɛmp͡ft]) 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 differ by 1 extra letter(s) - “kämpft” sits inside “kämpfte”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 13269, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

kämpft is recorded at frequency rank #4,368, classified as averb, pronounced [kɛmp͡ft]. 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 13269, this pair ranks #1,959,028 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of kämpft vs kämpfte

Shared letters: fkmptä. Private to "kämpft": -. Private to "kämpfte": e.

"kämpft" · 6 letters · shape CVCCCC  ·  "kämpfte" · 7 letters · shape CVCCCCV

Frequency comparison

kämpft#4,368
kämpfte#8,901

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "kämpft" and "kämpfte" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([kɛmp͡ft] versus [ˈkɛmp͡ftə]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "kämpft" or "kämpfte"?
"kämpft" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #4,368 in our German list, against #8,901 for "kämpfte". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering kämpft vs kämpfte

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 “kämpft” 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