Which to use
“Metern” and “Methan” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #2,848
- “Metern” frequency rank
- #27,415
- “Methan” frequency rank
- 30263
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Metern | Methan |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Dativ Plural des Substantivs Meter | farb- und geruchlose, brennbare Gasverbindung, deren Moleküle aus einem Kohlenstoff- und vier Wasserstoffatomen bestehen |
Where the eye mixes Metern and Methan
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 4 letters in sequence. Metern (CVCVCC) and Methan (CVCCVC) run the same length but a different consonant-vowel pattern - the shape difference is usually the fastest tell.
Why the eye confuses Metern with Methan
A purely visual mix-up. Metern ([ˈmeːtɐn]) and Methan ([meˈtaːn]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 30263, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Metern is recorded at frequency rank #2,848, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈmeːtɐn]. Methan is at rank #27,415, tagged as anoun, pronounced [meˈtaːn].
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 30263, this pair ranks #1,751,286 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of Metern vs Methan
Shared letters: emnt. Private to "Metern": r. Private to "Methan": ah.
"Metern" · 6 letters · shape CVCVCC · "Methan" · 6 letters · shape CVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "Metern" for "Methan" ever safe?
Which is more common, "Metern" or "Methan"?
What to do next
Pronunciation already separates them, if the page still looks alike, the dictionary links below settle it.
- Full dictionary entry for "Metern" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "Methan" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,751,286 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "Metern" and "Methan" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "Methan vs Methanol". Nearby pair
- Recorded mistypes exist for at least one side of this pair, useful when a spell-checker or OCR lands on the wrong form. See mistypes
Confusion rank #1,751,286 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.