Which to use
“zählt” and “zählte” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #1,499
- “zählt” frequency rank
- #7,557
- “zählte” frequency rank
- 9056
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | zählt | zählte |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | 3. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs zählen | 1. Person Singular Indikativ Präteritum Aktiv des Verbs zählen |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set zählt and zählte apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. zählt ([t͡sɛːlt]) and zählte ([ˈt͡sɛːltə]) 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 extra letter(s) - “zählt” sits inside “zählte”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 9056, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
zählt is recorded at frequency rank #1,499, classified as averb, pronounced [t͡sɛːlt]. zählte is at rank #7,557, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈt͡sɛːltə].
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 9056, this pair ranks #1,981,633 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of zählt vs zählte
Shared letters: hltzä. Private to "zählt": -. Private to "zählte": e.
"zählt" · 5 letters · shape CVCCC · "zählte" · 6 letters · shape CVCCCV
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "zählt" and "zählte" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "zählt" or "zählte"?
Remembering zählt vs zählte
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 “zählt” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable