Which to use
“erste” is a num and “esst” is a verb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #250
- “erste” frequency rank
- #29,114
- “esst” frequency rank
- 29364
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | erste | esst |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | (zeitlich oder örtlich oder in einer anderen Reihenfolge) an vorderster Stelle sich befindend, dem zweiten vorangehend | 2. Person Plural Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs essen |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set erste and esst apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: erste is [ˈeːɐ̯stə] while esst is [ɛst]. 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 (num vs verb), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 29364, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
erste is recorded at frequency rank #250, classified as anum, pronounced [ˈeːɐ̯stə]. esst is at rank #29,114, tagged as averb, pronounced [ɛst].
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 29364, this pair ranks #1,768,146 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of erste vs esst
Shared letters: est. Private to "erste": r. Private to "esst": -.
"erste" · 5 letters · shape VCCCV · "esst" · 4 letters · shape VCCC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "erste" and "esst" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "erste" or "esst"?
Remembering erste vs esst
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a num, it's “erste”; for a verb, it's “esst”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “erste” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable