versprochenvsverstrichenWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#4,237
“versprochen” frequency rank
#42,919
“verstrichen” frequency rank
47156
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

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

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set versprochen and verstrichen apart are highlighted. They share 9 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

11 ch
versprochen
11 ch
verstrichen

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

versprochen and verstrichen form a confusable pair in the German index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 47156, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

versprochen is recorded at frequency rank #4,237, classified as averb, pronounced [fɛɐ̯ˈʃpʁɔxn̩]. verstrichen is at rank #42,919, tagged as averb, pronounced [fɛɐ̯ˈʃtʁɪçn̩].

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 47156, this pair ranks #1,294,226 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Frequency comparison

versprochen#4,237
verstrichen#42,919

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

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

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 “versprochen” 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