Which to use
“zurückkehrte” and “zurückkehrten” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #19,465
- “zurückkehrte” frequency rank
- #42,971
- “zurückkehrten” frequency rank
- 62436
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | zurückkehrte | zurückkehrten |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | 1. Person Singular Indikativ Präteritum Aktiv der Nebensatzkonjugation des Verbs zurückkehren | 1. Person Plural Indikativ Präteritum Aktiv der Nebensatzkonjugation des Verbs zurückkehren |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set zurückkehrte and zurückkehrten apart are highlighted. They share 12 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. zurückkehrte ([t͡suˈʁʏkˌkeːɐ̯tə]) and zurückkehrten ([t͡suˈʁʏkˌkeːɐ̯tn̩]) 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 1 extra letter(s) - “zurückkehrte” sits inside “zurückkehrten”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 62436, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
zurückkehrte is recorded at frequency rank #19,465, classified as averb, pronounced [t͡suˈʁʏkˌkeːɐ̯tə]. zurückkehrten is at rank #42,971, tagged as averb, pronounced [t͡suˈʁʏkˌkeːɐ̯tn̩].
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 62436, this pair ranks #712,955 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of zurückkehrte vs zurückkehrten
Shared letters: cehkrtuzü. Private to "zurückkehrte": -. Private to "zurückkehrten": n.
"zurückkehrte" · 12 letters · shape CVCVCCCVCCCV · "zurückkehrten" · 13 letters · shape CVCVCCCVCCCVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "zurückkehrte" and "zurückkehrten" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "zurückkehrte" or "zurückkehrten"?
Remembering zurückkehrte vs zurückkehrten
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 “zurückkehrte” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable