Which to use
“nee” is a particle and “nei” is a verb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #3,609
- “nee” frequency rank
- #38,309
- “nei” frequency rank
- 41918
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | nee | nei |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | nein | verneinen, negieren, abstreiten |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set nee and nei apart are highlighted. They share 2 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
Our dataset has no pronunciation recorded for both members, so the reliable separator here is grammatical: nee is aparticle and neiaverb. On the page they differ by a single letter - e in “nee” becomes i in “nei”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 41918, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
nee is recorded at frequency rank #3,609, classified as aparticle, pronounced [neː]. nei is at rank #38,309, tagged as averb, pronounced […].
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 41918, this pair ranks #1,465,135 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of nee vs nei
Shared letters: en. Private to "nee": -. Private to "nei": i.
"nee" · 3 letters · shape CVV · "nei" · 3 letters · shape CVV
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "nee" and "nei" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "nee" or "nei"?
Remembering nee vs nei
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a particle, it's “nee”; for a verb, it's “nei”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “nee” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable