probiervsprobierenWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#12,366
“probier” frequency rank
#3,840
“probieren” frequency rank
16206
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature probier probieren
Definition 2. Person Singular Imperativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs probieren versuchen; testen; eine Probe machen

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set probier and probieren apart are highlighted. They share 7 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

7 ch
probier
9 ch
probieren

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. probier ([pʁoˈbiːɐ̯]) and probieren ([pʁoˈbiːʁən]) 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) - “probier” sits inside “probieren”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 16206, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

probier is recorded at frequency rank #12,366, classified as averb, pronounced [pʁoˈbiːɐ̯]. probieren is at rank #3,840, tagged as averb, pronounced [pʁoˈbiːʁən].

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 16206, this pair ranks #1,937,729 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of probier vs probieren

Shared letters: beiopr. Private to "probier": -. Private to "probieren": n.

"probier" · 7 letters · shape CCVCVVC  ·  "probieren" · 9 letters · shape CCVCVVCVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • probierporbier · pprobier · prboier · probbier · probeir · probierr · probire · proiber
  • probierenporbieren · pprobieren · prboieren · probbieren · probeiren · probieern · probierenn · probierne

Frequency comparison

probier#12,366
probieren#3,840

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "probier" and "probieren" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([pʁoˈbiːɐ̯] versus [pʁoˈbiːʁən]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "probier" or "probieren"?
"probieren" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #3,840 in our German list, against #12,366 for "probier". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering probier vs probieren

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 “probier” 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