Which to use
“états” and “êtres” are a confusable French pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #563
- “états” frequency rank
- #3,583
- “êtres” frequency rank
- 4146
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | états | êtres |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Pluriel de état. | Répartition des diverses parties d’une maison, c’est-à-dire l’escalier, les corridors, les pièces, etc. S’emploie surtout dans ces phrases : |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set états and êtres apart are highlighted. They share 2 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. états (\e.ta\) and êtres (\ɛtʁ\) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they share most of their letters but differ in 3 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 4146, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
états is recorded at frequency rank #563, classified as anoun, pronounced \e.ta\. êtres is at rank #3,583, tagged as anoun, pronounced \ɛtʁ\.
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 4146, this pair ranks #432,337 of 440,172 scored French confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of états vs êtres
Shared letters: st. Private to "états": aé. Private to "êtres": erê.
"états" · 5 letters · shape VCVCC · "êtres" · 5 letters · shape VCCVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "états" and "êtres" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "états" or "êtres"?
Remembering états vs êtres
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 “états” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable