SternenvsSternsWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#7,116
“Sternen” frequency rank
#38,432
“Sterns” frequency rank
45548
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Sternen Sterns
Definition Dativ Plural des Substantivs Stern Genitiv Singular des Substantivs Stern

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Sternen and Sterns apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

7 ch
Sternen
6 ch
Sterns

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Sternen ([ˈʃtɛʁnən]) 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 differ by 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 45548, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Sternen is recorded at frequency rank #7,116, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈʃtɛʁnən]. 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 45548, this pair ranks #1,349,305 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of Sternen vs Sterns

Shared letters: enrst. Private to "Sternen": -. Private to "Sterns": -.

"Sternen" · 7 letters · shape CCVCCVC  ·  "Sterns" · 6 letters · shape CCVCCC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Sternensetrnen · ssternen · stenren · sterenn · sternenn · sternnen · sterrnen · strenen
  • Sternssetrns · ssterns · stenrs · sternns · sternss · sterrns · stersn · strens

Frequency comparison

Sternen#7,116
Sterns#38,432

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Sternen" and "Sterns" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈʃtɛʁnən] versus [ʃtɛʁns]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Sternen" or "Sterns"?
"Sternen" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #7,116 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 Sternen 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 “Sternen” 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