Which to use
“schlüpfen” and “schlüpfte” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #17,400
- “schlüpfen” frequency rank
- #43,472
- “schlüpfte” frequency rank
- 60872
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | schlüpfen | schlüpfte |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | sich schnell (durch eine enge Öffnung gleitend) an einen bestimmten Ort begeben | 1. Person Singular Indikativ Präteritum Aktiv des Verbs schlüpfen |
Where the eye mixes schlüpfen and schlüpfte
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 8 letters in sequence. schlüpfen (CCCCVCCVC) and schlüpfte (CCCCVCCCV) run the same length but a different consonant-vowel pattern - the shape difference is usually the fastest tell.
Visual trap between schlüpfen and schlüpfte
A purely visual mix-up. schlüpfen ([ˈʃlʏp͡fn̩]) and schlüpfte ([ˈʃlʏp͡ftə]) 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 60872, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
schlüpfen is recorded at frequency rank #17,400, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈʃlʏp͡fn̩]. schlüpfte is at rank #43,472, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈʃlʏp͡ftə].
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 60872, this pair ranks #770,745 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of schlüpfen vs schlüpfte
Shared letters: cefhlpsü. Private to "schlüpfen": n. Private to "schlüpfte": t.
"schlüpfen" · 9 letters · shape CCCCVCCVC · "schlüpfte" · 9 letters · shape CCCCVCCCV
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "schlüpfen" and "schlüpfte" be used interchangeably?
Frequency check: "schlüpfen" vs "schlüpfte" - which ranks higher?
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 "schlüpfen" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "schlüpfte" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #770,745 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "schlüpfen" and "schlüpfte" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "schleppte vs schlüpfte". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #770,745 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.