SternsvsStevensWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#38,432
“Sterns” frequency rank
#13,032
“Stevens” frequency rank
51464
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Sterns Stevens
Definition Genitiv Singular des Substantivs Stern Genitiv Singular des Substantivs Steven

Where the spellings diverge

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

6 ch
Sterns
7 ch
Stevens

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Sterns ([ʃtɛʁns]) and Stevens ([ˈʃteːvn̩s]) 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 51464, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Sterns is recorded at frequency rank #38,432, classified as anoun, pronounced [ʃtɛʁns]. Stevens is at rank #13,032, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈʃteːvn̩s].

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 51464, this pair ranks #1,134,566 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of Sterns vs Stevens

Shared letters: enst. Private to "Sterns": r. Private to "Stevens": v.

"Sterns" · 6 letters · shape CCVCCC  ·  "Stevens" · 7 letters · shape CCVCVCC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Sternssetrns · ssterns · stenrs · sternns · sternss · sterrns · stersn · strens
  • Stevenssetvens · sstevens · steevns · stevenns · stevenss · stevesn · stevnes · stevvens

Frequency comparison

Sterns#38,432
Stevens#13,032

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Sterns" and "Stevens" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ʃtɛʁns] versus [ˈʃteːvn̩s]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Sterns" or "Stevens"?
"Stevens" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #13,032 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 Sterns vs Stevens

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 “Sterns” 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