PfadvsPfadenWhat's the difference?

Which to use

“Pfad” and “Pfaden” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#9,788
“Pfad” frequency rank
#40,750
“Pfaden” frequency rank
50538
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Pfad Pfaden
Definition schmaler Weg, der nur von Fußgängern benutzt wird Dativ Plural des Substantivs Pfad

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Pfad and Pfaden apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

4 ch
Pfad
6 ch
Pfaden

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Pfad ([p͡faːt]) and Pfaden ([ˈp͡faːdn̩]) 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 extra letter(s) - “Pfad” sits inside “Pfaden”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 50538, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Pfad is recorded at frequency rank #9,788, classified as anoun, pronounced [p͡faːt]. Pfaden is at rank #40,750, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈp͡faːdn̩].

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 50538, this pair ranks #1,169,885 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of Pfad vs Pfaden

Shared letters: adfp. Private to "Pfad": -. Private to "Pfaden": en.

"Pfad" · 4 letters · shape CCVC  ·  "Pfaden" · 6 letters · shape CCVCVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Pfadfpad · pafd · pfadd · pfda · pffad · ppfad
  • Pfadenfpaden · pafden · pfadden · pfadenn · pfadne · pfaedn · pfdaen · pffaden

Frequency comparison

Pfad#9,788
Pfaden#40,750

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Pfad" and "Pfaden" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([p͡faːt] versus [ˈp͡faːdn̩]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Pfad" or "Pfaden"?
"Pfad" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #9,788 in our German list, against #40,750 for "Pfaden". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering Pfad vs Pfaden

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 “Pfad” entry
  • Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list