SchenkvsSchreckWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#10,557
“Schenk” frequency rank
#12,788
“Schreck” frequency rank
23345
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Schenk Schreck
Definition ein Diener, der für das Einschenken zuständig ist heftige Emotion, die durch die Wahrnehmung von etwas Unerwartetem oder Bedrohlichem ausgelöst wird

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Schenk and Schreck apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

6 ch
Schenk
7 ch
Schreck

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Schenk ([ʃɛŋk]) and Schreck ([ʃʁɛk]) 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 23345, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Schenk is recorded at frequency rank #10,557, classified as anoun, pronounced [ʃɛŋk]. Schreck is at rank #12,788, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ʃʁɛk].

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 23345, this pair ranks #1,862,483 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of Schenk vs Schreck

Shared letters: cehks. Private to "Schenk": n. Private to "Schreck": r.

"Schenk" · 6 letters · shape CCCVCC  ·  "Schreck" · 7 letters · shape CCCCVCC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Schenkcshenk · scchenk · scehnk · schekn · schenkk · schennk · schhenk · schnek
  • Schreckcshreck · scchreck · scherck · schhreck · schrcek · schrecck · schreckk · schrekc

Frequency comparison

Schenk#10,557
Schreck#12,788

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Schenk" and "Schreck" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ʃɛŋk] versus [ʃʁɛk]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Schenk" or "Schreck"?
"Schenk" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #10,557 in our German list, against #12,788 for "Schreck". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering Schenk vs Schreck

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 “Schenk” 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