Which to use
“zurückgegeben” and “zurückzugeben” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #15,277
- “zurückgegeben” frequency rank
- #23,386
- “zurückzugeben” frequency rank
- 38663
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | zurückgegeben | zurückzugeben |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Partizip Perfekt des Verbs zurückgeben | erweiterter Infinitiv Aktiv des Verbs zurückgeben |
Where the eye mixes zurückgegeben and zurückzugeben
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 11 letters in sequence. zurückgegeben and zurückzugeben follow the identical consonant-vowel pattern (CVCVCCCVCVCVC). Same shape at a glance is often the real trap, independent of shared letters.
Look-alike desk: zurückgegeben vs zurückzugeben
A purely visual mix-up. zurückgegeben ([t͡suˈʁʏkɡəˌɡeːbn̩]) 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 share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 38663, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
zurückgegeben is recorded at frequency rank #15,277, classified as averb, pronounced [t͡suˈʁʏkɡəˌɡeːbn̩]. 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 38663, this pair ranks #1,557,971 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of zurückgegeben vs zurückzugeben
Shared letters: bcegknruzü. Private to "zurückgegeben": -. Private to "zurückzugeben": -.
"zurückgegeben" · 13 letters · shape CVCVCCCVCVCVC · "zurückzugeben" · 13 letters · shape CVCVCCCVCVCVC
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "zurückgegeben" and "zurückzugeben" be used interchangeably?
In ordinary German text, does "zurückgegeben" or "zurückzugeben" show up more?
After this comparison
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "zurückgegeben" 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 #1,557,971 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "zurückgegeben" and "zurückzugeben" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "zurückzugeben vs zurückzulegen". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #1,557,971 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.