Which to use
“unterdrücken” is a verb and “unterdrückt” is an adjective - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #11,771
- “unterdrücken” frequency rank
- #11,553
- “unterdrückt” frequency rank
- 23324
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | unterdrücken | unterdrückt |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | jemanden (oft mit Gewalt) daran hindern, frei zu entscheiden und sich frei zu entfalten | stark benachteiligt, an Unterdrückung leidend, in seiner freien Entfaltung gestört/behindert |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set unterdrücken and unterdrückt apart are highlighted. They share 10 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: unterdrücken is [ʊntɐˈdʁʏkn̩] while unterdrückt is [ʊntɐˈdʁʏkt]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (verb vs adjective), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 23324, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
unterdrücken is recorded at frequency rank #11,771, classified as averb, pronounced [ʊntɐˈdʁʏkn̩]. unterdrückt is at rank #11,553, tagged as anadj, pronounced [ʊntɐˈdʁʏkt].
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 23324, this pair ranks #1,862,750 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of unterdrücken vs unterdrückt
Shared letters: cdeknrtuü. Private to "unterdrücken": -. Private to "unterdrückt": -.
"unterdrücken" · 12 letters · shape VCCVCCCVCCVC · "unterdrückt" · 11 letters · shape VCCVCCCVCCC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "unterdrücken" and "unterdrückt" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "unterdrücken" or "unterdrückt"?
Remembering unterdrücken vs unterdrückt
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “unterdrücken”; for an adjective, it's “unterdrückt”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “unterdrücken” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable