Which to use
“Rätsel” and “Ratten” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #5,112
- “Rätsel” frequency rank
- #10,347
- “Ratten” frequency rank
- 15459
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Rätsel | Ratten |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Aufgabe, in Form einer Frage oder auch in graphischer Form, die durch Raten und Nachdenken zu lösen ist | Nominativ Plural des Substantivs Ratte |
Where the eye mixes Rätsel and Ratten
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 3 letters in sequence.
Visual trap between Rätsel and Ratten
A purely visual mix-up. Rätsel ([ˈʁɛːt͡sl̩]) and Ratten ([ˈʁatn̩]) 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 3 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 15459, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Rätsel is recorded at frequency rank #5,112, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈʁɛːt͡sl̩]. Ratten is at rank #10,347, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈʁatn̩].
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 15459, this pair ranks #1,943,709 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of Rätsel vs Ratten
Shared letters: ert. Private to "Rätsel": lsä. Private to "Ratten": an.
"Rätsel" · 6 letters · shape CVCCVC · "Ratten" · 6 letters · shape CVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
- Ratten ← ratetn · rattenn · rattne · rratten
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "Rätsel" and "Ratten" be used interchangeably?
In ordinary German text, does "Rätsel" or "Ratten" show up more?
After this comparison
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "Rätsel" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "Ratten" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,943,709 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "Rätsel" and "Ratten" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "Ratten vs raunen". Nearby pair
- Recorded mistypes exist for at least one side of this pair, useful when a spell-checker or OCR lands on the wrong form. See mistypes
Confusion rank #1,943,709 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.