versprachenvsversprochenWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#28,915
“versprachen” frequency rank
#4,237
“versprochen” frequency rank
33152
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature versprachen versprochen
Definition 1. Person Plural Indikativ Präteritum Aktiv des Verbs versprechen Partizip Perfekt des Verbs versprechen

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set versprachen and versprochen apart are highlighted. They share 10 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

11 ch
versprachen
11 ch
versprochen

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

versprachen and versprochen 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 - a in “versprachen” becomes o in “versprochen” - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 33152, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

versprachen is recorded at frequency rank #28,915, classified as averb, pronounced [fɛɐ̯ˈʃpʁaːxn̩]. versprochen is at rank #4,237, tagged as averb, pronounced [fɛɐ̯ˈʃpʁɔxn̩].

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 33152, this pair ranks #1,692,153 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Frequency comparison

versprachen#28,915
versprochen#4,237

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "versprachen" and "versprochen" be used interchangeably?
No, "versprachen" and "versprochen" 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 versprachen vs versprochen

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 “versprachen” 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