SteinevsSternsWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#3,850
“Steine” frequency rank
#38,432
“Sterns” frequency rank
42282
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Steine Sterns
Definition Variante für den Dativ Singular des Substantivs Stein Genitiv Singular des Substantivs Stern

Where the spellings diverge

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

6 ch
Steine
6 ch
Sterns

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Steine ([ˈʃtaɪ̯nə]) and Sterns ([ʃtɛʁns]) 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 42282, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Steine is recorded at frequency rank #3,850, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈʃtaɪ̯nə]. Sterns is at rank #38,432, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ʃtɛʁns].

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 42282, this pair ranks #1,454,199 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of Steine vs Sterns

Shared letters: enst. Private to "Steine": i. Private to "Sterns": r.

"Steine" · 6 letters · shape CCVVCV  ·  "Sterns" · 6 letters · shape CCVCCC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Steinesetine · ssteine · steien · steinne · stenie · stiene · stteine · tseine
  • Sternssetrns · ssterns · stenrs · sternns · sternss · sterrns · stersn · strens

Frequency comparison

Steine#3,850
Sterns#38,432

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Steine" and "Sterns" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈʃtaɪ̯nə] versus [ʃtɛʁns]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Steine" or "Sterns"?
"Steine" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #3,850 in our German list, against #38,432 for "Sterns". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering Steine vs Sterns

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 “Steine” 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