Which to use
“ek” is a preposition and “ey” is an intj - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #23,492
- “ek” frequency rank
- #5,825
- “ey” frequency rank
- 29317
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | ek | ey |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | aus einem Gebiet oder Raum heraus/hinaus | Ausruf, der einen Satz einleitet (um die Aufmerksamkeit des Zuhörers zu erregen) oder abschließt (zur Verstärkung einer Aussage) |
Where the eye mixes ek and ey
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 1 letter in sequence.
Visual trap between ek and ey
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: ek is [ɛk] while ey is [ɛɪ̯]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by a single letter - k in “ek” becomes y in “ey”, and the parts of speech differ too (preposition vs intj), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 29317, 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]. ey is at rank #5,825, tagged as anintj, pronounced [ɛɪ̯].
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 29317, this pair ranks #1,769,063 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of ek vs ey
Shared letters: e. Private to "ek": k. Private to "ey": y.
"ek" · 2 letters · shape VC · "ey" · 2 letters · shape VV
Frequently Asked Questions
Do "ek" and "ey" mean the same thing in a sentence?
Which is more common, "ek" or "ey"?
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 "ek" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "ey" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,769,063 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "ek" and "ey" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "ek vs eo". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #1,769,063 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.