LebensmittelvsLebensmittelnWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#3,670
“Lebensmittel” frequency rank
#8,745
“Lebensmitteln” frequency rank
12415
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Lebensmittel Lebensmitteln
Definition Ware zum Essen oder zum Trinken, die zum Bedarf des täglichen Lebens gehört Dativ Plural des Substantivs Lebensmittel

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Lebensmittel and Lebensmitteln apart are highlighted. They share 12 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

12 ch
Lebensmittel
13 ch
Lebensmitteln

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Lebensmittel ([ˈleːbn̩sˌmɪtl̩]) and Lebensmitteln ([ˈleːbn̩sˌmɪtl̩n]) 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) - “Lebensmittel” sits inside “Lebensmitteln”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 12415, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Lebensmittel is recorded at frequency rank #3,670, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈleːbn̩sˌmɪtl̩]. Lebensmitteln is at rank #8,745, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈleːbn̩sˌmɪtl̩n].

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 12415, this pair ranks #1,964,329 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of Lebensmittel vs Lebensmitteln

Shared letters: beilmnst. Private to "Lebensmittel": -. Private to "Lebensmitteln": -.

"Lebensmittel" · 12 letters · shape CVCVCCCVCCVC  ·  "Lebensmitteln" · 13 letters · shape CVCVCCCVCCVCC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Lebensmittelelbensmittel · lbeensmittel · lebbensmittel · lebenmsittel · lebennsmittel · lebensimttel · lebensmitel · lebensmitetl
  • Lebensmittelnelbensmitteln · lbeensmitteln · lebbensmitteln · lebenmsitteln · lebennsmitteln · lebensimtteln · lebensmiteln · lebensmitetln

Frequency comparison

Lebensmittel#3,670
Lebensmitteln#8,745

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Lebensmittel" and "Lebensmitteln" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈleːbn̩sˌmɪtl̩] versus [ˈleːbn̩sˌmɪtl̩n]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Lebensmittel" or "Lebensmitteln"?
"Lebensmittel" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #3,670 in our German list, against #8,745 for "Lebensmitteln". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering Lebensmittel vs Lebensmitteln

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 “Lebensmittel” 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