Which to use
“herzlich” is an adjective and “herzlichst” is an adverb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #3,049
- “herzlich” frequency rank
- #33,639
- “herzlichst” frequency rank
- 36688
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | herzlich | herzlichst |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | freundlich gesinnt | (zumindest sprachlich sich) aufs Äußerste zugetan (gebend) |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set herzlich and herzlichst apart are highlighted. They share 8 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: herzlich is [ˈhɛʁt͡slɪç] while herzlichst is [ˈhɛʁt͡slɪçst]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 2 extra letter(s) - “herzlich” sits inside “herzlichst”, and the parts of speech differ too (adjective vs adverb), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 36688, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
herzlich is recorded at frequency rank #3,049, classified as anadj, pronounced [ˈhɛʁt͡slɪç]. herzlichst is at rank #33,639, tagged as anadv, pronounced [ˈhɛʁt͡slɪçst].
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 36688, this pair ranks #1,609,211 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of herzlich vs herzlichst
Shared letters: cehilrz. Private to "herzlich": -. Private to "herzlichst": st.
"herzlich" · 8 letters · shape CVCCCVCC · "herzlichst" · 10 letters · shape CVCCCVCCCC
Known mistypes of this pair
- herzlich ← ehrzlich · herlzich · herrzlich · herzilch · herzlcih · herzlicch · herzlichh · herzlihc
- herzlichst ← ehrzlichst · herlzichst · herrzlichst · herzilchst · herzlcihst · herzlicchst · herzlichhst · herzlichsst
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "herzlich" and "herzlichst" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "herzlich" or "herzlichst"?
Remembering herzlich vs herzlichst
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need an adjective, it's “herzlich”; for an adverb, it's “herzlichst”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “herzlich” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable