Which to use
“fast” is an adverb and “Fes” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #243
- “fast” frequency rank
- #39,338
- “Fes” frequency rank
- 39581
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | fast | Fes |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | nicht ganz | orientalische Kopfbedeckung |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set fast and Fes apart are highlighted. They share 2 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: fast is [fast] while Fes is [feːs]. 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 noun), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 39581, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
fast is recorded at frequency rank #243, classified as anadv, pronounced [fast]. Fes is at rank #39,338, tagged as anoun, pronounced [feːs].
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 39581, this pair ranks #1,532,783 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of fast vs Fes
Shared letters: fs. Private to "fast": at. Private to "Fes": e.
"fast" · 4 letters · shape CVCC · "Fes" · 3 letters · shape CVC
Known mistypes of this pair
- fast ← afst · fastt · fats · ffast · fsat
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "fast" and "Fes" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "fast" or "Fes"?
Remembering fast vs Fes
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need an adverb, it's “fast”; for a noun, it's “Fes”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “fast” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable