Even if you are always careful in German class, occasional typos can occur when writing a text. As is well known, German orthography is far from easy. Fortunately, there are spelling programs that make our lives easier. But when autocorrect isn’t available, the same mistakes often happen over and over again. You can find out what they are here.
Error 1: death/dead
Because death is a noun, it is always capitalized. The word dead is an adjective derived from the verb to kill.
Error 2: Standard/Default
A word that always makes you think is standard. It is usually pronounced with a hard T at the end, which leads to the misconception that Standard is the correct spelling. However, the standard is spelled correctly only when it talks about the way something is written. When we talk about a standard, we are talking about a norm. Accordingly, if you are unsure, separate the word in your head.
Error 3: accidentally/accidentally
“Accidentally” sounds right, but it’s wrong. Here too, the typical trigger for this stumble is pronunciation, because the two words are often combined when speaking. This creates a false impression. Correct form by mistake.
Error 4: because/are
Because and are often confused with each other and therefore misused. Both spellings exist, but the meaning is different. Because it is actually only used when talking about time. A sentence with since should always relate to something temporal. The word are, on the other hand, is a verb conjugated to be in the second person plural, meaning “you are”.
Error 5: still/still
An error that often seeps into text snippets is “immobile”. Many people think that the two words are spelled together. Fortunately, there is only one correct way of writing: In any case, it is still written separately.
Mistake 6: Loser/Loser
Today, the English term for losers is also often used in German-speaking countries. However, a misspelling often comes into play. The name is derived from the English verb to lose, which means to lose. Accordingly, the correct spelling is Loser – that is, with O only.
Error 7: rhythm/rhythm/rhythm
Word rhythm often causes confusion. There are two silent Hs hiding there, so it’s hard to find the correct spelling by pronouncing it. Only the rhythm is correct.
Mistake 8: Hobbies/Hobbies
The English word for leisure activities is also on everyone’s lips in German-speaking countries. Most words ending in Y in English are formed with -ies. Hobbies are therefore also spelled correctly in English-speaking countries. However, since the word hobby was Germanized, it was formed according to the latest German rules: Therefore, the proper spelling in German-speaking countries is hobby.
Mistake 9: bright/clever
The adjective bright is not written as it is pronounced. The word comes from the French verb briller, which means to shine. According to the French pronunciation, the two L’s are followed by a slight I. For this reason, it is often wrongly assumed that “bright” is correct.
Error 10: aggressive/aggressive
Finally, “aggressive” should not be missing from our list, as it is a common typo. Although the verb is derived from the French word aggressive, its original origin is the Latin verb agredi. It means something like an attack. Therefore, correct spelling is aggressive.
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