setztvsspitztWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#844
“setzt” frequency rank
#34,377
“spitzt” frequency rank
35221
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature setzt spitzt
Definition 2. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs setzen 2. Person Plural Imperativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs spitzen

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set setzt and spitzt apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

5 ch
setzt
6 ch
spitzt

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. setzt ([zɛt͡st]) and spitzt ([ʃpɪt͡st]) 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 35221, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

setzt is recorded at frequency rank #844, classified as averb, pronounced [zɛt͡st]. spitzt is at rank #34,377, tagged as averb, pronounced [ʃpɪt͡st].

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 35221, this pair ranks #1,645,118 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of setzt vs spitzt

Shared letters: stz. Private to "setzt": e. Private to "spitzt": ip.

"setzt" · 5 letters · shape CVCCC  ·  "spitzt" · 6 letters · shape CCVCCC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • setztestzt · settz · settzt · setztt · setzzt · seztt · ssetzt · stezt
  • spitztpsitzt · siptzt · spittzt · spitztt · spitzzt · spiztt · sppitzt · sptizt

Frequency comparison

setzt#844
spitzt#34,377

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "setzt" and "spitzt" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([zɛt͡st] versus [ʃpɪt͡st]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "setzt" or "spitzt"?
"setzt" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #844 in our German list, against #34,377 for "spitzt". That is a wide gap, so in ordinary text the rarer spelling is the one worth double-checking.

Remembering setzt vs spitzt

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 “setzt” 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