Which to use
“hören” and “hörten” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #702
- “hören” frequency rank
- #11,457
- “hörten” frequency rank
- 12159
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | hören | hörten |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | mit den Ohren | 1. Person Plural Indikativ Präteritum Aktiv des Verbs hören |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set hören and hörten 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. hören ([ˈhøːʁən]) and hörten ([ˈhøːɐ̯tn̩]) 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 12159, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
hören is recorded at frequency rank #702, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈhøːʁən]. hörten is at rank #11,457, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈhøːɐ̯tn̩].
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 12159, this pair ranks #1,965,825 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of hören vs hörten
Shared letters: ehnrö. Private to "hören": -. Private to "hörten": t.
"hören" · 5 letters · shape CVCVC · "hörten" · 6 letters · shape CVCCVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "hören" and "hörten" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "hören" or "hörten"?
Remembering hören vs hörten
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 “hören” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable