Which to use
“Sumpf” and “Suppe” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #12,800
- “Sumpf” frequency rank
- #7,237
- “Suppe” frequency rank
- 20037
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Sumpf | Suppe |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | flache, stehende Wasserfläche mit Vegetation | Gericht, das auf der Basis von (gebundener) Brühe oder Bouillon mit verschiedenen zerkleinerten Einlagen in einem Topf zubereitet wird; (klare) flüssige Speise, die aus Gemüse, Fleisch oder Fisch gekocht und dann meist mit Einlage serviert wird |
Where the eye mixes Sumpf and Suppe
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 3 letters in sequence. Sumpf (CVCCC) and Suppe (CVCCV) run the same length but a different consonant-vowel pattern - the shape difference is usually the fastest tell.
Why the eye confuses Sumpf with Suppe
A purely visual mix-up. Sumpf ([zʊmp͡f]) and Suppe ([ˈzʊpə]) 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 20037, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Sumpf is recorded at frequency rank #12,800, classified as anoun, pronounced [zʊmp͡f]. Suppe is at rank #7,237, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈzʊpə].
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 20037, this pair ranks #1,901,969 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of Sumpf vs Suppe
Shared letters: psu. Private to "Sumpf": fm. Private to "Suppe": e.
"Sumpf" · 5 letters · shape CVCCC · "Suppe" · 5 letters · shape CVCCV
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Do "Sumpf" and "Suppe" mean the same thing in a sentence?
Which is more common, "Sumpf" or "Suppe"?
After this comparison
Pronunciation already separates them, if the page still looks alike, the dictionary links below settle it.
- Full dictionary entry for "Sumpf" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "Suppe" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,901,969 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "Sumpf" and "Suppe" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "Sumpf vs Sümpfe". 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 #1,901,969 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.