Which to use
“zähle” and “zählt” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #12,847
- “zähle” frequency rank
- #1,499
- “zählt” frequency rank
- 14346
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | zähle | zählt |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | 1. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs zählen | 3. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs zählen |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set zähle and zählt 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 zählt ([t͡sɛːlt]) 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 a single letter - e in “zähle” becomes t in “zählt”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 14346, 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]. zählt is at rank #1,499, tagged as averb, pronounced [t͡sɛːlt].
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 14346, this pair ranks #1,951,830 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of zähle vs zählt
Shared letters: hlzä. Private to "zähle": e. Private to "zählt": t.
"zähle" · 5 letters · shape CVCCV · "zählt" · 5 letters · shape CVCCC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "zähle" and "zählt" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "zähle" or "zählt"?
Remembering zähle vs zählt
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