Which to use
“mahnen” is a verb and “Mahnung” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #32,659
- “mahnen” frequency rank
- #19,639
- “Mahnung” frequency rank
- 52298
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | mahnen | Mahnung |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | eindringlich zu einem bestimmten, als erforderlich erachteten Handeln und Benehmen auffordern, drängen | Erinnerung an etwas und gleichzeitig eine Aufforderung, etwas zu tun |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set mahnen and Mahnung apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: mahnen is [ˈmaːnən] while Mahnung is [ˈmaːnʊŋ]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (verb vs noun), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 52298, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
mahnen is recorded at frequency rank #32,659, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈmaːnən]. Mahnung is at rank #19,639, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈmaːnʊŋ].
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 52298, this pair ranks #1,102,250 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of mahnen vs Mahnung
Shared letters: ahmn. Private to "mahnen": e. Private to "Mahnung": gu.
"mahnen" · 6 letters · shape CVCCVC · "Mahnung" · 7 letters · shape CVCCVCC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "mahnen" and "Mahnung" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "mahnen" or "Mahnung"?
Remembering mahnen vs Mahnung
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “mahnen”; for a noun, it's “Mahnung”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “mahnen” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable