Which to use
“zurückkehren” and “zurücknehmen” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #5,791
- “zurückkehren” frequency rank
- #23,803
- “zurücknehmen” frequency rank
- 29594
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | zurückkehren | zurücknehmen |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | wieder an den Ausgangspunkt gehen | etwas wieder annehmen, was man schon einmal hatte, wieder in Besitz nehmen |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set zurückkehren and zurücknehmen apart are highlighted. They share 10 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. zurückkehren ([t͡suˈʁʏkˌkeːʁən]) and zurücknehmen ([t͡suˈʁʏkˌneːmən]) 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 29594, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
zurückkehren is recorded at frequency rank #5,791, classified as averb, pronounced [t͡suˈʁʏkˌkeːʁən]. zurücknehmen is at rank #23,803, tagged as averb, pronounced [t͡suˈʁʏkˌneːmən].
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 29594, this pair ranks #1,763,927 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of zurückkehren vs zurücknehmen
Shared letters: cehknruzü. Private to "zurückkehren": -. Private to "zurücknehmen": m.
"zurückkehren" · 12 letters · shape CVCVCCCVCCVC · "zurücknehmen" · 12 letters · shape CVCVCCCVCCVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "zurückkehren" and "zurücknehmen" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "zurückkehren" or "zurücknehmen"?
Remembering zurückkehren vs zurücknehmen
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 “zurückkehren” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable