Which to use
“fei” is a particle and “fem” is a num - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #21,248
- “fei” frequency rank
- #43,170
- “fem” frequency rank
- 64418
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | fei | fem |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | erzgebirgisch, fränkisch, süddeutsch, oberdeutsch, drückt aus, dass man annimmt, dass die oder der Angesprochene das Gesagte noch nicht weiß | fünf |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set fei and fem 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: fei is [faɪ̯] while fem is [fɛmˀ]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by a single letter - i in “fei” becomes m in “fem”, and the parts of speech differ too (particle vs num), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 64418, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
fei is recorded at frequency rank #21,248, classified as aparticle, pronounced [faɪ̯]. fem is at rank #43,170, tagged as anum, pronounced [fɛmˀ].
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 64418, this pair ranks #642,277 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of fei vs fem
Shared letters: ef. Private to "fei": i. Private to "fem": m.
"fei" · 3 letters · shape CVV · "fem" · 3 letters · shape CVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "fei" and "fem" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "fei" or "fem"?
Remembering fei vs fem
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a particle, it's “fei”; for a num, it's “fem”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “fei” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable