externervsexternesWhat's the difference?

Which to use

“externer” and “externes” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#23,926
“externer” frequency rank
#46,630
“externes” frequency rank
70556
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature externer externes
Definition Nominativ Singular Maskulinum der starken Flexion des Positivs des Adjektivs extern Nominativ Singular Neutrum der starken Deklination des Positivs des Adjektivs extern

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set externer and externes apart are highlighted. They share 7 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

8 ch
externer
8 ch
externes

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

externer and externes form a confusable pair in the German index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They differ by a single letter - r in “externer” becomes s in “externes” - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 70556, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

externer is recorded at frequency rank #23,926, classified as anadj, pronounced [ˌɛksˈtɛʁnɐ]. externes is at rank #46,630, tagged as anadj, pronounced [ˌɛksˈtɛʁnəs].

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 70556, this pair ranks #442,766 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.

Frequency comparison

externer#23,926
externes#46,630

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "externer" and "externes" be used interchangeably?
No, "externer" and "externes" have distinct meanings and cannot be swapped without changing the meaning of a sentence. Understanding the specific definition and context for each word is essential for correct usage.

Remembering externer vs externes

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

  • Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
  • See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “externer” entry
  • Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list