Which to use
“kaum” is an adverb and “kaut” is a verb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #379
- “kaum” frequency rank
- #46,771
- “kaut” frequency rank
- 47150
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | kaum | kaut |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | nur zu einem sehr geringen Grad; so gut wie gar nicht | 3. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs kauen |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set kaum and kaut apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: kaum is [kaʊ̯m] while kaut is [kaʊ̯t]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by a single letter - m in “kaum” becomes t in “kaut”, and the parts of speech differ too (adverb vs verb), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 47150, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
kaum is recorded at frequency rank #379, classified as anadv, pronounced [kaʊ̯m]. kaut is at rank #46,771, tagged as averb, pronounced [kaʊ̯t].
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 47150, this pair ranks #1,294,452 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of kaum vs kaut
Shared letters: aku. Private to "kaum": m. Private to "kaut": t.
"kaum" · 4 letters · shape CVVC · "kaut" · 4 letters · shape CVVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "kaum" and "kaut" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "kaum" or "kaut"?
Remembering kaum vs kaut
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need an adverb, it's “kaum”; for a verb, it's “kaut”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “kaum” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable