Which to use
“zählt” and “zählten” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #1,499
- “zählt” frequency rank
- #14,219
- “zählten” frequency rank
- 15718
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | zählt | zählten |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | 3. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs zählen | 1. Person Plural Indikativ Präteritum Aktiv des Verbs zählen |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set zählt and zählten 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 zählten ([ˈt͡sɛːltn̩]) 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 2 extra letter(s) - “zählt” sits inside “zählten”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 15718, 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]. zählten is at rank #14,219, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈt͡sɛːltn̩].
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 15718, this pair ranks #1,941,696 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of zählt vs zählten
Shared letters: hltzä. Private to "zählt": -. Private to "zählten": en.
"zählt" · 5 letters · shape CVCCC · "zählten" · 7 letters · shape CVCCCVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "zählt" and "zählten" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "zählt" or "zählten"?
Remembering zählt vs zählten
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