Which to use
“töten” is a verb and “totes” is an adjective - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #3,083
- “töten” frequency rank
- #26,196
- “totes” frequency rank
- 29279
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | töten | totes |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | einem Menschen oder einem Tier gewaltsam das Leben nehmen | Nominativ Singular Neutrum der starken Deklination des Positivs des Adjektivs tot |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set töten and totes apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: töten is [ˈtøːtn̩] while totes is [ˈtoːtəs]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions, and the parts of speech differ too (verb vs adjective), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 29279, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
töten is recorded at frequency rank #3,083, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈtøːtn̩]. totes is at rank #26,196, tagged as anadj, pronounced [ˈtoːtəs].
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 29279, this pair ranks #1,769,818 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of töten vs totes
Shared letters: et. Private to "töten": nö. Private to "totes": os.
"töten" · 5 letters · shape CVCVC · "totes" · 5 letters · shape CVCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
- totes ← ottes · toets · totess · totse · tottes · ttoes · ttotes
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "töten" and "totes" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "töten" or "totes"?
Remembering töten vs totes
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “töten”; for an adjective, it's “totes”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “töten” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable