GesetzevsGesetzesWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#2,341
“Gesetze” frequency rank
#5,596
“Gesetzes” frequency rank
7937
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Gesetze Gesetzes
Definition Variante für den Dativ Singular des Substantivs Gesetz Genitiv Singular des Substantivs Gesetz

Where the spellings diverge

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

7 ch
Gesetze
8 ch
Gesetzes

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

Gesetze and Gesetzes 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 1 extra letter(s) - “Gesetze” sits inside “Gesetzes” - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 7937, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Gesetze is recorded at frequency rank #2,341, classified as anoun, pronounced [ɡəˈzɛt͡sə]. Gesetzes is at rank #5,596, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ɡəˈzɛt͡səs].

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 7937, this pair ranks #1,986,265 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Frequency comparison

Gesetze#2,341
Gesetzes#5,596

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Gesetze" and "Gesetzes" be used interchangeably?
No, "Gesetze" and "Gesetzes" 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 Gesetze vs Gesetzes

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 “Gesetze” 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