PfadevsPfoteWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#26,125
“Pfade” frequency rank
#40,136
“Pfote” frequency rank
66261
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Pfade Pfote
Definition Variante für den Dativ Singular des Substantivs Pfad (mit Ausnahme der Huftiere – vom Rind, Schaf, Schwein abgesehen, deren Extremitäten gelegentlich »Pfoten« anstatt »Klauen« genannt werden – und Primaten) bei landlebenden Säugetieren (zumeist Raubtieren) in Zehen gespaltenes Ende der Extremitäten

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Pfade and Pfote apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

5 ch
Pfade
5 ch
Pfote

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Pfade ([ˈp͡faːdə]) and Pfote ([ˈp͡foːtə]) 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 66261, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Pfade is recorded at frequency rank #26,125, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈp͡faːdə]. Pfote is at rank #40,136, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈp͡foːtə].

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 66261, this pair ranks #579,120 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of Pfade vs Pfote

Shared letters: efp. Private to "Pfade": ad. Private to "Pfote": ot.

"Pfade" · 5 letters · shape CCVCV  ·  "Pfote" · 5 letters · shape CCVCV

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Pfadefpade · pafde · pfadde · pfaed · pfdae · pffade · ppfade
  • Pfotefpote · pffote · pfoet · pfotte · pftoe · pofte · ppfote

Frequency comparison

Pfade#26,125
Pfote#40,136

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Pfade" and "Pfote" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈp͡faːdə] versus [ˈp͡foːtə]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Pfade" or "Pfote"?
"Pfade" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #26,125 in our German list, against #40,136 for "Pfote". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering Pfade vs Pfote

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 “Pfade” 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