Which to use
“zähle” and “zahlen” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #12,847
- “zähle” frequency rank
- #628
- “zahlen” frequency rank
- 13475
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | zähle | zahlen |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | 1. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs zählen | Geld für eine Ware oder Leistung geben |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set zähle and zahlen apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. zähle ([ˈt͡sɛːlə]) and zahlen ([ˈt͡saːlən]) 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 13475, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
zähle is recorded at frequency rank #12,847, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈt͡sɛːlə]. zahlen is at rank #628, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈt͡saːlən].
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 13475, this pair ranks #1,957,752 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of zähle vs zahlen
Shared letters: ehlz. Private to "zähle": ä. Private to "zahlen": an.
"zähle" · 5 letters · shape CVCCV · "zahlen" · 6 letters · shape CVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
- zahlen ← azhlen · zaheln · zahhlen · zahlenn · zahllen · zahlne · zalhen · zhalen
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "zähle" and "zahlen" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "zähle" or "zahlen"?
Remembering zähle vs zahlen
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 “zähle” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable