machevsmackWhat's the difference?

Quick tell: mache is a verb, mack is a noun, so they fill different roles in a sentence.

Which to use

“mache” is a verb and “mack” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.

#934
“mache” frequency rank
#18,979
“mack” frequency rank
19913
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature mache mack
Definition 1. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs machen weites Kleidungsstück mit Ärmeln, das mindestens bis zu den Knien reicht und wasserdicht ist

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set mache and mack apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

5 ch
mache
4 ch
mack

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

mache and mack 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 letter(s) in length - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 19913, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

mache is recorded at frequency rank #934, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈmaxə]. mack is at rank #18,979, tagged as anoun, pronounced [mæk].

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 19913, this pair ranks #1,903,289 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Frequency comparison

mache#934
mack#18,979

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "mache" and "mack" be used interchangeably?
No, "mache" and "mack" 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 mache vs mack

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

  • Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “mache”; for a noun, it's “mack”.
  • See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “mache” 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