KompetenzvsKompetenzenWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#5,194
“Kompetenz” frequency rank
#7,495
“Kompetenzen” frequency rank
12689
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Kompetenz Kompetenzen
Definition persönliches Vermögen, Fähigkeit Nominativ Plural des Substantivs Kompetenz

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Kompetenz and Kompetenzen apart are highlighted. They share 9 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

9 ch
Kompetenz
11 ch
Kompetenzen

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Kompetenz ([kɔmpəˈtɛnt͡s]) and Kompetenzen ([kɔmpəˈtɛnt͡sn̩]) 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) - “Kompetenz” sits inside “Kompetenzen”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 12689, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Kompetenz is recorded at frequency rank #5,194, classified as anoun, pronounced [kɔmpəˈtɛnt͡s]. Kompetenzen is at rank #7,495, tagged as anoun, pronounced [kɔmpəˈtɛnt͡sn̩].

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 12689, this pair ranks #1,962,652 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of Kompetenz vs Kompetenzen

Shared letters: ekmnoptz. Private to "Kompetenz": -. Private to "Kompetenzen": -.

"Kompetenz" · 9 letters · shape CVCCVCVCC  ·  "Kompetenzen" · 11 letters · shape CVCCVCVCCVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Kompetenzkkompetenz · kmopetenz · komeptenz · kommpetenz · kompeetnz · kompetennz · kompetenzz · kompetezn
  • Kompetenzenkkompetenzen · kmopetenzen · komeptenzen · kommpetenzen · kompeetnzen · kompetenezn · kompetennzen · kompetenzenn

Frequency comparison

Kompetenz#5,194
Kompetenzen#7,495

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Kompetenz" and "Kompetenzen" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([kɔmpəˈtɛnt͡s] versus [kɔmpəˈtɛnt͡sn̩]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Kompetenz" or "Kompetenzen"?
"Kompetenz" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #5,194 in our German list, against #7,495 for "Kompetenzen". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering Kompetenz vs Kompetenzen

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 “Kompetenz” 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