Which to use
“zögert” and “zögerte” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #30,407
- “zögert” frequency rank
- #35,586
- “zögerte” frequency rank
- 65993
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | zögert | zögerte |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | 2. Person Plural Imperativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs zögern | 1. Person Singular Indikativ Präteritum Aktiv des Verbs zögern |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set zögert and zögerte apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. zögert ([ˈt͡søːɡɐt]) and zögerte ([ˈt͡søːɡɐtə]) 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) - “zögert” sits inside “zögerte”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 65993, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
zögert is recorded at frequency rank #30,407, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈt͡søːɡɐt]. zögerte is at rank #35,586, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈt͡søːɡɐtə].
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 65993, this pair ranks #588,120 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of zögert vs zögerte
Shared letters: egrtzö. Private to "zögert": -. Private to "zögerte": -.
"zögert" · 6 letters · shape CVCVCC · "zögerte" · 7 letters · shape CVCVCCV
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "zögert" and "zögerte" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "zögert" or "zögerte"?
Remembering zögert vs zögerte
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 “zögert” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable