Which to use
“hej” is an intj and “hi” is a phrase - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #48,213
- “hej” frequency rank
- #2,300
- “hi” frequency rank
- 50513
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | hej | hi |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | informelle Grußformel | freundschaftliche, familiäre mündliche Begrüßung bei persönlichen Begegnungen und Telefongesprächen, bei denen der Angerufene weiß, wer ihn anruft (so dass auf eine Nennung des Namens verzichtet werden kann) |
Where the eye mixes hej and hi
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 1 letter in sequence.
Why the eye confuses hej with hi
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: hej is [haɪ] while hi is [haɪ̯]. 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 (intj vs phrase), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 50513, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
hej is recorded at frequency rank #48,213, classified as anintj, pronounced [haɪ]. hi is at rank #2,300, tagged as aphrase, pronounced [haɪ̯].
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 50513, this pair ranks #1,170,863 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of hej vs hi
Shared letters: h. Private to "hej": ej. Private to "hi": i.
"hej" · 3 letters · shape CVC · "hi" · 2 letters · shape CV
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "hej" and "hi" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "hej" or "hi"?
After this comparison
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "hej" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "hi" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,170,863 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "hej" and "hi" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "heel vs hej". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #1,170,863 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.