Which to use
“sample” is a verb and “simpler” is an adjective - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #32,244
- “sample” frequency rank
- #44,917
- “simpler” frequency rank
- 77161
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | sample | simpler |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | 2. Person Singular Imperativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs samplen | Nominativ Singular Maskulinum der starken Deklination des Positivs des Adjektivs simpel |
Where the eye mixes sample and simpler
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 5 letters in sequence.
Why the eye confuses sample with simpler
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: sample is [ˈsɛmpl̩ə] while simpler is [ˈzɪmplɐ]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (verb vs adjective), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 77161, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
sample is recorded at frequency rank #32,244, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈsɛmpl̩ə]. simpler is at rank #44,917, tagged as anadj, pronounced [ˈzɪmplɐ].
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 77161, this pair ranks #267,096 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.
Orthographic DNA of sample vs simpler
Shared letters: elmps. Private to "sample": a. Private to "simpler": ir.
"sample" · 6 letters · shape CVCCCV · "simpler" · 7 letters · shape CVCCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "sample" and "simpler" be used interchangeably?
In ordinary German text, does "sample" or "simpler" show up more?
After this comparison
Eye-level mix-up between "sample" and "simpler" is sorted above. Next: full entries or other pairs that share a letter shape.
- Full dictionary entry for "sample" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "simpler" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #267,096 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "sample" and "simpler" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "simpler vs simples". Nearby pair
- Recorded mistypes exist for at least one side of this pair, useful when a spell-checker or OCR lands on the wrong form. See mistypes
Confusion rank #267,096 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.