Which to use
“ek” is a preposition and “elf” is a num - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #23,492
- “ek” frequency rank
- #2,588
- “elf” frequency rank
- 26080
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | ek | elf |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | aus einem Gebiet oder Raum heraus/hinaus | die Kardinalzahl zwischen zehn und zwölf |
Where the eye mixes ek and elf
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 1 letter in sequence.
Look-alike desk: ek vs elf
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: ek is [ɛk] while elf is [ɛlf]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (preposition vs num), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 26080, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
ek is recorded at frequency rank #23,492, classified as aprep, pronounced [ɛk]. elf is at rank #2,588, tagged as anum, pronounced [ɛlf].
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 26080, this pair ranks #1,823,457 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of ek vs elf
Shared letters: e. Private to "ek": k. Private to "elf": fl.
"ek" · 2 letters · shape VC · "elf" · 3 letters · shape VCC
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "ek" for "elf" ever safe?
In ordinary German text, does "ek" or "elf" show up more?
Useful next steps
Pronunciation already separates them, if the page still looks alike, the dictionary links below settle it.
- Full dictionary entry for "ek" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "elf" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,823,457 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "ek" and "elf" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "ek vs eo". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #1,823,457 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.