schlechtevsschlechtesWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#1,784
“schlechte” frequency rank
#4,157
“schlechtes” frequency rank
5941
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature schlechte schlechtes
Definition Nominativ Singular Femininum Positiv der starken Flexion des Adjektivs schlecht Nominativ Singular Neutrum der starken Deklination des Positivs des Adjektivs schlecht

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set schlechte and schlechtes apart are highlighted. They share 9 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

9 ch
schlechte
10 ch
schlechtes

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

schlechte and schlechtes form a confusable pair in the German index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They differ by 1 extra letter(s) - “schlechte” sits inside “schlechtes” - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 5941, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

schlechte is recorded at frequency rank #1,784, classified as anadj, pronounced [ˈʃlɛçtə]. schlechtes is at rank #4,157, tagged as anadj, pronounced [ˈʃlɛçtəs].

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 5941, this pair ranks #1,993,235 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Frequency comparison

schlechte#1,784
schlechtes#4,157

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "schlechte" and "schlechtes" be used interchangeably?
No, "schlechte" and "schlechtes" have distinct meanings and cannot be swapped without changing the meaning of a sentence. Understanding the specific definition and context for each word is essential for correct usage.

Remembering schlechte vs schlechtes

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 “schlechte” 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