Which to use
“machten” and “mahlen” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #2,507
- “machten” frequency rank
- #37,068
- “mahlen” frequency rank
- 39575
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | machten | mahlen |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | 1. Person Plural Indikativ Präteritum Aktiv des Verbs machen | Material (mit einer Mühle) zerkleinern, indem es gerieben und gequetscht wird |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set machten and mahlen apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. machten ([ˈmaxtn̩]) and mahlen ([ˈmaːlən]) 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 39575, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
machten is recorded at frequency rank #2,507, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈmaxtn̩]. mahlen is at rank #37,068, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈmaːlən].
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 39575, this pair ranks #1,532,967 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of machten vs mahlen
Shared letters: aehmn. Private to "machten": ct. Private to "mahlen": l.
"machten" · 7 letters · shape CVCCCVC · "mahlen" · 6 letters · shape CVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "machten" and "mahlen" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "machten" or "mahlen"?
Remembering machten vs mahlen
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 “machten” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable