Which to use
“erzählen” and “erzählst” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #1,659
- “erzählen” frequency rank
- #18,531
- “erzählst” frequency rank
- 20190
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | erzählen | erzählst |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | schriftlich oder mündlich ein Erlebnis oder Vorkommnis anschaulich zur Darstellung bringen | 2. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs erzählen |
Where the eye mixes erzählen and erzählst
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 6 letters in sequence. erzählen (VCCVCCVC) and erzählst (VCCVCCCC) run the same length but a different consonant-vowel pattern - the shape difference is usually the fastest tell.
Visual trap between erzählen and erzählst
A purely visual mix-up. erzählen ([ɛɐ̯ˈt͡sɛːlən]) 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 share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 20190, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
erzählen is recorded at frequency rank #1,659, classified as averb, pronounced [ɛɐ̯ˈt͡sɛːlən]. 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 20190, this pair ranks #1,900,336 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of erzählen vs erzählst
Shared letters: ehlrzä. Private to "erzählen": n. Private to "erzählst": st.
"erzählen" · 8 letters · shape VCCVCCVC · "erzählst" · 8 letters · shape VCCVCCCC
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "erzählen" and "erzählst" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "erzählen" or "erzählst"?
What to do next
Pronunciation already separates them, if the page still looks alike, the dictionary links below settle it.
- Full dictionary entry for "erzählen" 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 #1,900,336 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "erzählen" and "erzählst" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "erwähnst vs erzählst". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #1,900,336 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.