SternsvsStorysConfusable pair

Which to use

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

#38,432
“Sterns” frequency rank
#25,781
“Storys” frequency rank
64213
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Sterns Storys
Definition Genitiv Singular des Substantivs Stern Nominativ Plural des Substantivs Story

Where the eye mixes Sterns and Storys

Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 4 letters in sequence. Sterns (CCVCCC) and Storys (CCVCVC) run the same length but a different consonant-vowel pattern - the shape difference is usually the fastest tell.

6 ch
Sterns
6 ch
Storys

Visual trap between Sterns and Storys

A purely visual mix-up. Sterns ([ʃtɛʁns]) and Storys ([ˈstɔːʁɪz]) 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 64213, 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]. Storys is at rank #25,781, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈstɔːʁɪz].

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 64213, this pair ranks #649,544 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of Sterns vs Storys

Shared letters: rst. Private to "Sterns": en. Private to "Storys": oy.

"Sterns" · 6 letters · shape CCVCCC  ·  "Storys" · 6 letters · shape CCVCVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Sterns ← setrns · ssterns · stenrs · sternns · sternss · sterrns · stersn · strens
  • Storys ← sotrys · sstorys · storrys · storsy · storyss · storyys · stoyrs · stroys

Frequently Asked Questions

Is swapping "Sterns" for "Storys" ever safe?
No. They are said differently ([ʃtɛʁns] versus [ˈstɔːʁɪz]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
In ordinary German text, does "Sterns" or "Storys" show up more?
"Storys" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #25,781 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.

Useful next steps

Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.

  • Full dictionary entry for "Sterns" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
  • Full dictionary entry for "Storys" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
  • This pair ranks #649,544 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
  • "Sterns" and "Storys" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "steps vs Sterns". Nearby pair
  • Recorded mistypes exist for at least one side of this pair, useful when a spell-checker or OCR lands on the wrong form. See mistypes

Confusion rank #649,544 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list