säenvssetWhat's the difference?

Quick tell: säen is a verb, set is a num, so they fill different roles in a sentence.

Which to use

“säen” is a verb and “set” is a num - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.

#32,300
“säen” frequency rank
#3,995
“set” frequency rank
36295
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature säen set
Definition ausstreuend oder setzend Saatgut in den dafür vorbereiteten Boden bringen Kardinalzahl zwischen sechs und acht

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set säen and set apart are highlighted. They share 2 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

4 ch
säen
3 ch
set

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

Our dataset has no pronunciation recorded for both members, so the reliable separator here is grammatical: säen is averb and setanum. On the page they differ by 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 36295, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

säen is recorded at frequency rank #32,300, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈzɛːən]. set is at rank #3,995, tagged as anum, 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 36295, this pair ranks #1,619,160 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of säen vs set

Shared letters: es. Private to "säen": . Private to "set": t.

"säen" · 4 letters · shape CVVC  ·  "set" · 3 letters · shape CVC

Frequency comparison

säen#32,300
set#3,995

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "säen" and "set" be used interchangeably?
No - they are not even the same part of speech. "säen" is a verb and "set" a num, so a sentence built for one is usually ungrammatical with the other.
Which is more common, "säen" or "set"?
"set" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #3,995 in our German list, against #32,300 for "säen". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering säen vs set

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

  • Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “säen”; for a num, it's “set”.
  • See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “säen” 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