KriegevsKriegenWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#2,661
“Kriege” frequency rank
#1,928
“Kriegen” frequency rank
4589
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Kriege Kriegen
Definition Variante für den Dativ Singular des Substantivs Krieg ein Kinderspiel, bei dem der Fänger andere Mitspieler durch eine Berührung fassen muss

Where the spellings diverge

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

6 ch
Kriege
7 ch
Kriegen

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

Kriege and Kriegen form a confusable pair in the German index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They differ by 1 extra letter(s) - “Kriege” sits inside “Kriegen” - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 4589, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Kriege is recorded at frequency rank #2,661, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈkʁiːɡə]. Kriegen is at rank #1,928, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈkʁiːɡn̩].

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 4589, this pair ranks #1,997,271 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Frequency comparison

Kriege#2,661
Kriegen#1,928

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Kriege" and "Kriegen" be used interchangeably?
No, "Kriege" and "Kriegen" have distinct meanings and cannot be swapped without changing the meaning of a sentence. Understanding the specific definition and context for each word is essential for correct usage.

Remembering Kriege vs Kriegen

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 “Kriege” 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