Which to use
“scher” and “scherze” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #36,007
- “scher” frequency rank
- #24,110
- “scherze” frequency rank
- 60117
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | scher | scherze |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | 2. Person Singular Imperativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs scheren | 1. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs scherzen |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set scher and scherze 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. scher ([ʃeːɐ̯]) and scherze ([ˈʃɛʁt͡sə]) 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 2 extra letter(s) - “scher” sits inside “scherze”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 60117, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
scher is recorded at frequency rank #36,007, classified as averb, pronounced [ʃeːɐ̯]. scherze is at rank #24,110, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈʃɛʁt͡sə].
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 60117, this pair ranks #798,926 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of scher vs scherze
Shared letters: cehrs. Private to "scher": -. Private to "scherze": z.
"scher" · 5 letters · shape CCCVC · "scherze" · 7 letters · shape CCCVCCV
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "scher" and "scherze" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "scher" or "scherze"?
Remembering scher vs scherze
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 “scher” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable