kämpftvskämpftenWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#4,368
“kämpft” frequency rank
#12,117
“kämpften” frequency rank
16485
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

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

Where the spellings diverge

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

6 ch
kämpft
8 ch
kämpften

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. kämpft ([kɛmp͡ft]) and kämpften ([ˈkɛmp͡ftn̩]) 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) - “kämpft” sits inside “kämpften”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 16485, 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]. kämpften is at rank #12,117, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈkɛmp͡ftn̩].

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 16485, this pair ranks #1,935,448 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of kämpft vs kämpften

Shared letters: fkmptä. Private to "kämpft": -. Private to "kämpften": en.

"kämpft" · 6 letters · shape CVCCCC  ·  "kämpften" · 8 letters · shape CVCCCCVC

Frequency comparison

kämpft#4,368
kämpften#12,117

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "kämpft" and "kämpften" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([kɛmp͡ft] versus [ˈkɛmp͡ftn̩]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "kämpft" or "kämpften"?
"kämpft" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #4,368 in our German list, against #12,117 for "kämpften". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering kämpft vs kämpften

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