classvsclasseWhat's the difference?

Quick tell: class is a adjective, classe is a noun, so they fill different roles in a sentence.

Which to use

“class” is an adjective and “classe” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.

#12,533
“class” frequency rank
#598
“classe” frequency rank
13131
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature class classe
Definition Variante orthographique de clas. Groupe de personnes et de familles ayant la même position dans la société ; classe sociale.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set class and classe apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

5 ch
class
6 ch
classe

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

class and classe form a confusable pair in the French index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They differ by 1 extra letter(s) - “class” sits inside “classe” - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 13131, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

class is recorded at frequency rank #12,533, classified as anadj, pronounced \klas\. classe is at rank #598, tagged as anoun, pronounced \klɑs\.

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 13131, this pair ranks #402,296 of 440,172 scored French confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Frequency comparison

class#12,533
classe#598

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "class" and "classe" be used interchangeably?
No, "class" and "classe" 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 class vs classe

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

  • Check the role first: if you need an adjective, it's “class”; for a noun, it's “classe”.
  • See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “class” 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