Which to use
“erzähle” and “erzählst” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #10,851
- “erzähle” frequency rank
- #18,531
- “erzählst” frequency rank
- 29382
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | erzähle | erzählst |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | 1. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs erzählen | 2. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs erzählen |
Where the eye mixes erzähle and erzählst
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 6 letters in sequence. erzähle runs 7 letters (VCCVCCV) against erzählst's 8 (VCCVCCCC) - the length gap alone is often enough to separate them once you know to check it.
Why the eye confuses erzähle with erzählst
A purely visual mix-up. erzähle ([ɛɐ̯ˈt͡sɛːlə]) and erzählst ([ɛɐ̯ˈt͡sɛːlst]) 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 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 29382, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
erzähle is recorded at frequency rank #10,851, classified as averb, pronounced [ɛɐ̯ˈt͡sɛːlə]. erzählst is at rank #18,531, tagged as averb, pronounced [ɛɐ̯ˈt͡sɛːlst].
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 29382, this pair ranks #1,767,816 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of erzähle vs erzählst
Shared letters: ehlrzä. Private to "erzähle": -. Private to "erzählst": st.
"erzähle" · 7 letters · shape VCCVCCV · "erzählst" · 8 letters · shape VCCVCCCC
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "erzähle" for "erzählst" ever safe?
Which is more common, "erzähle" or "erzählst"?
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 "erzähle" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "erzählst" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,767,816 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "erzähle" and "erzählst" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "erwähnst vs erzählst". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #1,767,816 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.