Which to use
“foltern” and “foster” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #27,302
- “foltern” frequency rank
- #18,247
- “foster” frequency rank
- 45549
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | foltern | foster |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | jemandem (physisch oder psychisch) heftigen Schmerz zufügen | nähren, pflegen, aufziehen |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set foltern and foster apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. foltern ([ˈfɔltɐn]) and foster ([fɒstə(r)]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 45549, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
foltern is recorded at frequency rank #27,302, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈfɔltɐn]. foster is at rank #18,247, tagged as averb, pronounced [fɒstə(r)].
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 45549, this pair ranks #1,349,263 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of foltern vs foster
Shared letters: efort. Private to "foltern": ln. Private to "foster": s.
"foltern" · 7 letters · shape CVCCVCC · "foster" · 6 letters · shape CVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "foltern" and "foster" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "foltern" or "foster"?
Remembering foltern vs foster
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 “foltern” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable