unterzeichnenvsunterzeichnetWhat's the difference?

Which to use

“unterzeichnen” and “unterzeichnet” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#13,719
“unterzeichnen” frequency rank
#8,301
“unterzeichnet” frequency rank
22020
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature unterzeichnen unterzeichnet
Definition eine Unterschrift geben, zum Beispiel als Zustimmung zu einem Vertrag Partizip Perfekt des Verbs unterzeichnen

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set unterzeichnen and unterzeichnet apart are highlighted. They share 12 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

13 ch
unterzeichnen
13 ch
unterzeichnet

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

unterzeichnen and unterzeichnet form a confusable pair in the German index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They differ by a single letter - n in “unterzeichnen” becomes t in “unterzeichnet” - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 22020, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

unterzeichnen is recorded at frequency rank #13,719, classified as averb, pronounced [ʊntɐˈt͡saɪ̯çnən]. unterzeichnet is at rank #8,301, tagged as averb, pronounced [ʊntɐˈt͡saɪ̯çnət].

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 22020, this pair ranks #1,879,328 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Frequency comparison

unterzeichnen#13,719
unterzeichnet#8,301

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "unterzeichnen" and "unterzeichnet" be used interchangeably?
No, "unterzeichnen" and "unterzeichnet" have distinct meanings and cannot be swapped without changing the meaning of a sentence. Understanding the specific definition and context for each word is essential for correct usage.

Remembering unterzeichnen vs unterzeichnet

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

  • Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
  • See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “unterzeichnen” entry
  • Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list