Which to use
“zerstöre” is a verb and “zerstörte” is an adjective - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #33,398
- “zerstöre” frequency rank
- #12,643
- “zerstörte” frequency rank
- 46041
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | zerstöre | zerstörte |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | 1. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs zerstören | Nominativ Singular Femininum der starken Flexion des Positivs des Adjektivs zerstört |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set zerstöre and zerstörte apart are highlighted. They share 8 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: zerstöre is [t͡sɛɐ̯ˈʃtøːʁə] while zerstörte is [t͡sɛɐ̯ˈʃtøːɐ̯tə]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (verb vs adjective), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 46041, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
zerstöre is recorded at frequency rank #33,398, classified as averb, pronounced [t͡sɛɐ̯ˈʃtøːʁə]. zerstörte is at rank #12,643, tagged as anadj, pronounced [t͡sɛɐ̯ˈʃtøːɐ̯tə].
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 46041, this pair ranks #1,332,557 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of zerstöre vs zerstörte
Shared letters: erstzö. Private to "zerstöre": -. Private to "zerstörte": -.
"zerstöre" · 8 letters · shape CVCCCVCV · "zerstörte" · 9 letters · shape CVCCCVCCV
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "zerstöre" and "zerstörte" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "zerstöre" or "zerstörte"?
Remembering zerstöre vs zerstörte
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “zerstöre”; for an adjective, it's “zerstörte”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “zerstöre” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable