Which to use
“öffentlichen” and “öffentlicher” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #1,004
- “öffentlichen” frequency rank
- #6,032
- “öffentlicher” frequency rank
- 7036
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | öffentlichen | öffentlicher |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Genitiv Singular Maskulinum der starken Flexion des Adjektivs öffentlich | Nominativ Singular Maskulinum der starken Flexion des Positivs des Adjektivs öffentlich |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set öffentlichen and öffentlicher apart are highlighted. They share 11 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. öffentlichen ([ˈœfn̩tlɪçn̩]) and öffentlicher ([ˈœfn̩tlɪçɐ]) 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 a single letter - n in “öffentlichen” becomes r in “öffentlicher”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 7036, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
öffentlichen is recorded at frequency rank #1,004, classified as anadj, pronounced [ˈœfn̩tlɪçn̩]. öffentlicher is at rank #6,032, tagged as anadj, pronounced [ˈœfn̩tlɪçɐ].
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 7036, this pair ranks #1,989,604 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of öffentlichen vs öffentlicher
Shared letters: cefhilntö. Private to "öffentlichen": -. Private to "öffentlicher": r.
"öffentlichen" · 12 letters · shape VCCVCCCVCCVC · "öffentlicher" · 12 letters · shape VCCVCCCVCCVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "öffentlichen" and "öffentlicher" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "öffentlichen" or "öffentlicher"?
Remembering öffentlichen vs öffentlicher
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 “öffentlichen” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable