Which to use
“nachdenken” and “nachzudenken” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #3,059
- “nachdenken” frequency rank
- #8,111
- “nachzudenken” frequency rank
- 11170
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | nachdenken | nachzudenken |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | sich eingehend in Gedanken mit etwas oder jemandem beschäftigen | erweiterter Infinitiv Aktiv des Verbs nachdenken |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set nachdenken and nachzudenken apart are highlighted. They share 10 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. nachdenken ([ˈnaːxˌdɛŋkn̩]) and nachzudenken ([ˈnaːxt͡suˌdɛŋkn̩]) 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 2 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 11170, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
nachdenken is recorded at frequency rank #3,059, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈnaːxˌdɛŋkn̩]. nachzudenken is at rank #8,111, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈnaːxt͡suˌdɛŋkn̩].
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 11170, this pair ranks #1,971,311 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of nachdenken vs nachzudenken
Shared letters: acdehkn. Private to "nachdenken": -. Private to "nachzudenken": uz.
"nachdenken" · 10 letters · shape CVCCCVCCVC · "nachzudenken" · 12 letters · shape CVCCCVCVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
- nachdenken ← anchdenken · nacchdenken · nacdhenken · nachddenken · nachdeknen · nachdenekn · nachdenkenn · nachdenkken
- nachzudenken ← anchzudenken · nacchzudenken · nachhzudenken · nachuzdenken · nachzduenken · nachzuddenken · nachzudeknen · nachzudenekn
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "nachdenken" and "nachzudenken" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "nachdenken" or "nachzudenken"?
Remembering nachdenken vs nachzudenken
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 “nachdenken” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable