Which to use
“se” and “sei” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #2,789
- “se” frequency rank
- #185
- “sei” frequency rank
- 2974
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | se | sei |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | sehen | 2. Person Singular Präsens Imperativ Aktiv des Verbs sein |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set se and sei apart are highlighted. They share 2 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
se and sei 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) - “se” sits inside “sei” - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 2974, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
se is recorded at frequency rank #2,789, classified as averb, pronounced [seːˀ]. sei is at rank #185, tagged as averb, pronounced [zaɪ̯].
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 2974, this pair ranks #2,001,213 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "se" and "sei" be used interchangeably?
Remembering se vs sei
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 “se” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable