Which to use
“riechen” and “riecht” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #9,254
- “riechen” frequency rank
- #5,526
- “riecht” frequency rank
- 14780
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | riechen | riecht |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | den Geruch von etwas mit der Nase wahrnehmen | 3. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs riechen |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set riechen and riecht 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. riechen ([ˈʁiːçn̩]) and riecht ([ʁiːçt]) 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 14780, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
riechen is recorded at frequency rank #9,254, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈʁiːçn̩]. riecht is at rank #5,526, tagged as averb, pronounced [ʁiːçt].
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 14780, this pair ranks #1,948,808 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of riechen vs riecht
Shared letters: cehir. Private to "riechen": n. Private to "riecht": t.
"riechen" · 7 letters · shape CVVCCVC · "riecht" · 6 letters · shape CVVCCC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "riechen" and "riecht" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "riechen" or "riecht"?
Remembering riechen vs riecht
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 “riechen” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable