Which to use
“sein” is a verb and “sign” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #63
- “sein” frequency rank
- #22,142
- “sign” frequency rank
- 22205
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | sein | sign |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Kopula, die dem Subjekt ein logisches Prädikat zuordnet | Zeichen, Geste |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set sein and sign apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: sein is [zaɪ̯n] while sign is [saɪn]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions, and the parts of speech differ too (verb vs noun), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 22205, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
sein is recorded at frequency rank #63, classified as averb, pronounced [zaɪ̯n]. sign is at rank #22,142, tagged as anoun, pronounced [saɪn].
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 22205, this pair ranks #1,877,010 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of sein vs sign
Shared letters: ins. Private to "sein": e. Private to "sign": g.
"sein" · 4 letters · shape CVVC · "sign" · 4 letters · shape CVCC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "sein" and "sign" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "sein" or "sign"?
Remembering sein vs sign
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “sein”; for a noun, it's “sign”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “sein” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable