Which to use
“schalten” and “schaltete” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #6,851
- “schalten” frequency rank
- #22,872
- “schaltete” frequency rank
- 29723
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | schalten | schaltete |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | eine Schaltung betätigen, zum Beispiel auf dem Fahrrad einen anderen Gang einlegen | 1. Person Singular Indikativ Präteritum Aktiv des Verbs schalten |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set schalten and schaltete apart are highlighted. They share 7 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. schalten ([ˈʃaltn̩]) and schaltete ([ˈʃaltətə]) 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 29723, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
schalten is recorded at frequency rank #6,851, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈʃaltn̩]. schaltete is at rank #22,872, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈʃaltətə].
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 29723, this pair ranks #1,761,465 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of schalten vs schaltete
Shared letters: acehlst. Private to "schalten": n. Private to "schaltete": -.
"schalten" · 8 letters · shape CCCVCCVC · "schaltete" · 9 letters · shape CCCVCCVCV
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "schalten" and "schaltete" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "schalten" or "schaltete"?
Remembering schalten vs schaltete
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 “schalten” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable