Which to use
“zurückkommen” and “zurückzukommen” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #13,989
- “zurückkommen” frequency rank
- #25,005
- “zurückzukommen” frequency rank
- 38994
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | zurückkommen | zurückzukommen |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | wieder an den Ausgangspunkt kommen | erweiterter Infinitiv Aktiv des Verbs zurückkommen |
Where the eye mixes zurückkommen and zurückzukommen
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 12 letters in sequence. zurückkommen runs 12 letters (CVCVCCCVCCVC) against zurückzukommen's 14 (CVCVCCCVCVCCVC) - the length gap alone is often enough to separate them once you know to check it.
Visual trap between zurückkommen and zurückzukommen
A purely visual mix-up. zurückkommen ([t͡suˈʁʏkˌkɔmən]) and zurückzukommen ([t͡suˈʁʏkt͡suˌkɔmən]) 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 38994, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
zurückkommen is recorded at frequency rank #13,989, classified as averb, pronounced [t͡suˈʁʏkˌkɔmən]. zurückzukommen is at rank #25,005, tagged as averb, pronounced [t͡suˈʁʏkt͡suˌkɔmən].
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 38994, this pair ranks #1,549,061 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of zurückkommen vs zurückzukommen
Shared letters: cekmnoruzü. Private to "zurückkommen": -. Private to "zurückzukommen": -.
"zurückkommen" · 12 letters · shape CVCVCCCVCCVC · "zurückzukommen" · 14 letters · shape CVCVCCCVCVCCVC
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "zurückkommen" and "zurückzukommen" be used interchangeably?
In ordinary German text, does "zurückkommen" or "zurückzukommen" show up more?
What to do next
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "zurückkommen" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "zurückzukommen" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,549,061 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "zurückkommen" and "zurückzukommen" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "zurückbekommen vs zurückzukommen". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #1,549,061 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.