probierenvsprobiertWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#3,840
“probieren” frequency rank
#6,227
“probiert” frequency rank
10067
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature probieren probiert
Definition versuchen; testen; eine Probe machen Partizip Perfekt des Verbs probieren

Where the spellings diverge

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

9 ch
probieren
8 ch
probiert

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. probieren ([pʁoˈbiːʁən]) and probiert ([pʁoˈbiːɐ̯t]) 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 10067, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

probieren is recorded at frequency rank #3,840, classified as averb, pronounced [pʁoˈbiːʁən]. probiert is at rank #6,227, tagged as averb, pronounced [pʁoˈbiːɐ̯t].

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 10067, this pair ranks #1,976,951 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of probieren vs probiert

Shared letters: beiopr. Private to "probieren": n. Private to "probiert": t.

"probieren" · 9 letters · shape CCVCVVCVC  ·  "probiert" · 8 letters · shape CCVCVVCC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • probierenporbieren · pprobieren · prboieren · probbieren · probeiren · probieern · probierenn · probierne
  • probiertporbiert · pprobiert · prboiert · probbiert · probeirt · probierrt · probiertt · probietr

Frequency comparison

probieren#3,840
probiert#6,227

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "probieren" and "probiert" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([pʁoˈbiːʁən] versus [pʁoˈbiːɐ̯t]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "probieren" or "probiert"?
"probieren" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #3,840 in our German list, against #6,227 for "probiert". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering probieren vs probiert

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 “probieren” 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