Which to use
“zäh” is an adjective and “Zehe” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #18,775
- “zäh” frequency rank
- #43,650
- “Zehe” frequency rank
- 62425
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | zäh | Zehe |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | langsam, schwerfällig fließend | der einem Finger entsprechende Teil des Fußes |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set zäh and Zehe apart are highlighted. They share 2 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: zäh is [t͡sɛː] while Zehe is [ˈt͡seːə]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (adjective vs noun), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 62425, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
zäh is recorded at frequency rank #18,775, classified as anadj, pronounced [t͡sɛː]. Zehe is at rank #43,650, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈt͡seːə].
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 62425, this pair ranks #713,354 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of zäh vs Zehe
Shared letters: hz. Private to "zäh": ä. Private to "Zehe": e.
"zäh" · 3 letters · shape CVC · "Zehe" · 4 letters · shape CVCV
Known mistypes of this pair
- Zehe ← ezhe · zeeh · zehhe · zhee · zzehe
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "zäh" and "Zehe" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "zäh" or "Zehe"?
Remembering zäh vs Zehe
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need an adjective, it's “zäh”; for a noun, it's “Zehe”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “zäh” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable