Which to use
“zurückgeben” and “zurückzugeben” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #12,008
- “zurückgeben” frequency rank
- #23,386
- “zurückzugeben” frequency rank
- 35394
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | zurückgeben | zurückzugeben |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | einen Gegenstand wieder in den Besitz der Person geben, die den Gegenstand zuvor hatte, beziehungsweise wieder in den Besitz des Eigentümers geben | erweiterter Infinitiv Aktiv des Verbs zurückgeben |
Where the eye mixes zurückgeben and zurückzugeben
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 11 letters in sequence. zurückgeben runs 11 letters (CVCVCCCVCVC) against zurückzugeben's 13 (CVCVCCCVCVCVC) - the length gap alone is often enough to separate them once you know to check it.
Visual trap between zurückgeben and zurückzugeben
A purely visual mix-up. zurückgeben ([t͡suˈʁʏkˌɡeːbn̩]) and zurückzugeben ([t͡suˈʁʏkt͡suˌɡeːbn̩]) 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 2 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 35394, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
zurückgeben is recorded at frequency rank #12,008, classified as averb, pronounced [t͡suˈʁʏkˌɡeːbn̩]. zurückzugeben is at rank #23,386, tagged as averb, pronounced [t͡suˈʁʏkt͡suˌɡeːbn̩].
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 35394, this pair ranks #1,641,080 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of zurückgeben vs zurückzugeben
Shared letters: bcegknruzü. Private to "zurückgeben": -. Private to "zurückzugeben": -.
"zurückgeben" · 11 letters · shape CVCVCCCVCVC · "zurückzugeben" · 13 letters · shape CVCVCCCVCVCVC
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "zurückgeben" for "zurückzugeben" ever safe?
Which is more common, "zurückgeben" or "zurückzugeben"?
After this comparison
Pronunciation already separates them, if the page still looks alike, the dictionary links below settle it.
- Full dictionary entry for "zurückgeben" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "zurückzugeben" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,641,080 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "zurückgeben" and "zurückzugeben" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "zurückzugeben vs zurückzulegen". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #1,641,080 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.