ZehevsZehnteWhat's the difference?

Which to use

“Zehe” and “Zehnte” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#43,650
“Zehe” frequency rank
#16,610
“Zehnte” frequency rank
60260
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Zehe Zehnte
Definition der einem Finger entsprechende Teil des Fußes eine etwa zehnprozentige traditionelle Steuer in Form von Geld oder Naturalien an eine Institution

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Zehe and Zehnte apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

4 ch
Zehe
6 ch
Zehnte

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

Zehe and Zehnte form a confusable pair in the German index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They differ by 2 letter(s) in length - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 60260, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Zehe is recorded at frequency rank #43,650, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈt͡seːə]. Zehnte is at rank #16,610, tagged as anoun, pronounced [t͡seːntə].

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 60260, this pair ranks #793,596 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Frequency comparison

Zehe#43,650
Zehnte#16,610

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Zehe" and "Zehnte" be used interchangeably?
No, "Zehe" and "Zehnte" have distinct meanings and cannot be swapped without changing the meaning of a sentence. Understanding the specific definition and context for each word is essential for correct usage.

Remembering Zehe vs Zehnte

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 “Zehe” entry
  • Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list