Which to use
“Kapitän” and “Kapitäns” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #3,324
- “Kapitän” frequency rank
- #37,605
- “Kapitäns” frequency rank
- 40929
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Kapitän | Kapitäns |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | oberste Kommandoinstanz an Bord eines Schiffes | Genitiv Singular des Substantivs Kapitän |
Where the eye mixes Kapitän and Kapitäns
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 7 letters in sequence. Kapitän runs 7 letters (CVCVCVC) against Kapitäns's 8 (CVCVCVCC) - the length gap alone is often enough to separate them once you know to check it.
Why the eye confuses Kapitän with Kapitäns
A purely visual mix-up. Kapitän ([kapiˈtɛːn]) and Kapitäns ([kapiˈtɛːns]) 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) - “Kapitän” sits inside “Kapitäns”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 40929, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Kapitän is recorded at frequency rank #3,324, classified as anoun, pronounced [kapiˈtɛːn]. Kapitäns is at rank #37,605, tagged as anoun, pronounced [kapiˈtɛːns].
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 40929, this pair ranks #1,494,241 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of Kapitän vs Kapitäns
Shared letters: aiknptä. Private to "Kapitän": -. Private to "Kapitäns": s.
"Kapitän" · 7 letters · shape CVCVCVC · "Kapitäns" · 8 letters · shape CVCVCVCC
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "Kapitän" and "Kapitäns" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "Kapitän" or "Kapitäns"?
After this comparison
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "Kapitän" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "Kapitäns" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,494,241 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "Kapitän" and "Kapitäns" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "Kapitäne vs Kapitäns". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #1,494,241 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.