Which to use
“trois” is a num and “trotz” is a preposition - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #44,292
- “trois” frequency rank
- #624
- “trotz” frequency rank
- 44916
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | trois | trotz |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | drei | ungeachtet eines bestimmten Umstandes; ohne Rücksicht auf etwas; einer Sache zum Trotz |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set trois and trotz 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: trois is [tʁwɑ] while trotz is [tʁɔt͡s]. 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 (num vs preposition), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 44916, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
trois is recorded at frequency rank #44,292, classified as anum, pronounced [tʁwɑ]. trotz is at rank #624, tagged as aprep, pronounced [tʁɔt͡s].
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 44916, this pair ranks #1,370,503 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of trois vs trotz
Shared letters: ort. Private to "trois": is. Private to "trotz": z.
"trois" · 5 letters · shape CCVVC · "trotz" · 5 letters · shape CCVCC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "trois" and "trotz" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "trois" or "trotz"?
Remembering trois vs trotz
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a num, it's “trois”; for a preposition, it's “trotz”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “trois” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable