Which to use
“prüfen” and “prüfte” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #2,781
- “prüfen” frequency rank
- #33,241
- “prüfte” frequency rank
- 36022
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | prüfen | prüfte |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | feststellen, inwiefern einer Bedingung genügt wird | 1. Person Singular Indikativ Präteritum Aktiv des Verbs prüfen |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set prüfen and prüfte apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. prüfen ([ˈpʁyːfn̩]) and prüfte ([ˈpʁyːftə]) 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 36022, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
prüfen is recorded at frequency rank #2,781, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈpʁyːfn̩]. prüfte is at rank #33,241, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈpʁyːftə].
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 36022, this pair ranks #1,625,920 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of prüfen vs prüfte
Shared letters: efprü. Private to "prüfen": n. Private to "prüfte": t.
"prüfen" · 6 letters · shape CCVCVC · "prüfte" · 6 letters · shape CCVCCV
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "prüfen" and "prüfte" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "prüfen" or "prüfte"?
Remembering prüfen vs prüfte
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 “prüfen” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable