nächstvsnächstenWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#28,782
“nächst” frequency rank
#436
“nächsten” frequency rank
29218
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature nächst nächsten
Definition in einer Reihenfolge nach dem aktuellen folgend Superlativ Prädikativ des Adjektivs nah

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set nächst and nächsten apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

6 ch
nächst
8 ch
nächsten

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. nächst ([nɛːçst]) and nächsten ([ˈnɛːçstən]) 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 2 extra letter(s) - “nächst” sits inside “nächsten”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 29218, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

nächst is recorded at frequency rank #28,782, classified as anadj, pronounced [nɛːçst]. nächsten is at rank #436, tagged as anadj, pronounced [ˈnɛːçstən].

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 29218, this pair ranks #1,770,914 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of nächst vs nächsten

Shared letters: chnstä. Private to "nächst": -. Private to "nächsten": e.

"nächst" · 6 letters · shape CVCCCC  ·  "nächsten" · 8 letters · shape CVCCCCVC

Frequency comparison

nächst#28,782
nächsten#436

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "nächst" and "nächsten" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([nɛːçst] versus [ˈnɛːçstən]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "nächst" or "nächsten"?
"nächsten" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #436 in our German list, against #28,782 for "nächst". That is a wide gap, so in ordinary text the rarer spelling is the one worth double-checking.

Remembering nächst vs nächsten

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 “nächst” 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