Which to use
“erstens” is an adverb and “erstes” is an adjective - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #4,790
- “erstens” frequency rank
- #1,510
- “erstes” frequency rank
- 6300
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | erstens | erstes |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | an erster Stelle (einer Aufzählung, Gliederung oder Ähnlichem) auch in übertragenem Sinne | Nominativ Singular Neutrum der starken Flexion des Positivs des Adjektivs erste |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set erstens and erstes apart are highlighted. They share 6 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: erstens is [ˈeːɐ̯stn̩s] while erstes is [ˈeːɐ̯stəs]. 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 (adverb vs adjective), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 6300, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
erstens is recorded at frequency rank #4,790, classified as anadv, pronounced [ˈeːɐ̯stn̩s]. erstes is at rank #1,510, tagged as anadj, pronounced [ˈeːɐ̯stəs].
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 6300, this pair ranks #1,992,095 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of erstens vs erstes
Shared letters: erst. Private to "erstens": n. Private to "erstes": -.
"erstens" · 7 letters · shape VCCCVCC · "erstes" · 6 letters · shape VCCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "erstens" and "erstes" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "erstens" or "erstes"?
Remembering erstens vs erstes
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need an adverb, it's “erstens”; for an adjective, it's “erstes”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “erstens” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable