Which to use
“unterdrücken” is a verb and “unterdrückte” is an adjective - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #11,771
- “unterdrücken” frequency rank
- #32,329
- “unterdrückte” frequency rank
- 44100
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | unterdrücken | unterdrückte |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | jemanden (oft mit Gewalt) daran hindern, frei zu entscheiden und sich frei zu entfalten | Nominativ Singular Femininum der starken Flexion des Positivs des Adjektivs unterdrückt |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set unterdrücken and unterdrückte apart are highlighted. They share 11 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 unterdrückte is [ʊntɐˈdʁʏktə]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions, and the parts of speech differ too (verb vs adjective), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 44100, 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]. unterdrückte is at rank #32,329, tagged as anadj, pronounced [ʊntɐˈdʁʏktə].
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 44100, this pair ranks #1,397,041 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of unterdrücken vs unterdrückte
Shared letters: cdeknrtuü. Private to "unterdrücken": -. Private to "unterdrückte": -.
"unterdrücken" · 12 letters · shape VCCVCCCVCCVC · "unterdrückte" · 12 letters · shape VCCVCCCVCCCV
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "unterdrücken" and "unterdrückte" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "unterdrücken" or "unterdrückte"?
Remembering unterdrücken vs unterdrückte
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 “unterdrückte”.
- 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