Which to use
“zünden” and “zündet” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #17,788
- “zünden” frequency rank
- #24,221
- “zündet” frequency rank
- 42009
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | zünden | zündet |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | etwas in Brand stecken oder einen Verbrennungsprozess in Gang setzen | 2. Person Plural Imperativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs zünden |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set zünden and zündet apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. zünden ([ˈt͡sʏndn̩]) and zündet ([ˈt͡sʏndət]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by a single letter - n in “zünden” becomes t in “zündet”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 42009, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
zünden is recorded at frequency rank #17,788, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈt͡sʏndn̩]. zündet is at rank #24,221, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈt͡sʏndət].
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 42009, this pair ranks #1,462,362 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of zünden vs zündet
Shared letters: denzü. Private to "zünden": -. Private to "zündet": t.
"zünden" · 6 letters · shape CVCCVC · "zündet" · 6 letters · shape CVCCVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "zünden" and "zündet" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "zünden" or "zündet"?
Remembering zünden vs zündet
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 “zünden” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable