können vs könnt, What's the Difference?

Which to use

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

#82
“können” frequency rank: #1,233
“könnt” frequency rank: 1315
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature	können	könnt
Definition	etwas zu tun vermögen	2. Person Plural Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs können

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set können and könnt apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

6 ch

können

5 ch

könnt

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. können ([ˈkœnən]) and könnt ([kœnt]) 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 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 1315, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

können is recorded at frequency rank #82, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈkœnən]. könnt is at rank #1,233, tagged as averb, pronounced [kœnt].

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 1315, this pair ranks #2,004,558 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of können vs könnt

Shared letters: knö. Private to "können": e. Private to "könnt": t.

"können" · 6 letters · shape CVCCVC · "könnt" · 5 letters · shape CVCCC

Frequency comparison

können#82

könnt#1,233

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "können" and "könnt" be used interchangeably?

No. They are said differently ([ˈkœnən] versus [kœnt]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.

Which is more common, "können" or "könnt"?

"können" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #82 in our German list, against #1,233 for "könnt". That is a wide gap, so in ordinary text the rarer spelling is the one worth double-checking.

Remembering können vs könnt

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 “können” entry
Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable