folgstvsfolgteWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#16,425
“folgst” frequency rank
#2,650
“folgte” frequency rank
19075
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature folgst folgte
Definition 2. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs folgen 1. Person Singular Indikativ Präteritum Aktiv des Verbs folgen

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set folgst and folgte apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

6 ch
folgst
6 ch
folgte

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. folgst ([fɔlkst]) and folgte ([ˈfɔlktə]) 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 19075, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

folgst is recorded at frequency rank #16,425, classified as averb, pronounced [fɔlkst]. folgte is at rank #2,650, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈfɔlktə].

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 19075, this pair ranks #1,912,068 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of folgst vs folgte

Shared letters: fglot. Private to "folgst": s. Private to "folgte": e.

"folgst" · 6 letters · shape CVCCCC  ·  "folgte" · 6 letters · shape CVCCCV

Known mistypes of this pair

  • folgstffolgst · flogst · foglst · folggst · folgsst · folgstt · folgts · follgst
  • folgteffolgte · flogte · foglte · folget · folggte · folgtte · follgte · foltge

Frequency comparison

folgst#16,425
folgte#2,650

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "folgst" and "folgte" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([fɔlkst] versus [ˈfɔlktə]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "folgst" or "folgte"?
"folgte" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #2,650 in our German list, against #16,425 for "folgst". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering folgst vs folgte

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 “folgst” 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