stärktvsstecktWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#11,979
“stärkt” frequency rank
#1,862
“steckt” frequency rank
13841
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature stärkt steckt
Definition 2. Person Plural Imperativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs stärken 3. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs stecken

Where the spellings diverge

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

6 ch
stärkt
6 ch
steckt

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. stärkt ([ʃtɛʁkt]) and steckt ([ʃtɛkt]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 13841, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

stärkt is recorded at frequency rank #11,979, classified as averb, pronounced [ʃtɛʁkt]. steckt is at rank #1,862, tagged as averb, pronounced [ʃtɛkt].

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 13841, this pair ranks #1,955,323 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of stärkt vs steckt

Shared letters: kst. Private to "stärkt": . Private to "steckt": ce.

"stärkt" · 6 letters · shape CCVCCC  ·  "steckt" · 6 letters · shape CCVCCC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • stecktsetckt · ssteckt · stcekt · stecckt · steckkt · stecktt · stectk · stekct

Frequency comparison

stärkt#11,979
steckt#1,862

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "stärkt" and "steckt" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ʃtɛʁkt] versus [ʃtɛkt]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "stärkt" or "steckt"?
"steckt" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #1,862 in our German list, against #11,979 for "stärkt". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering stärkt vs steckt

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 “stärkt” 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