diff --git a/src/NodaDistinctlyTypedStrings.php b/src/NodaDistinctlyTypedStrings.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aef90f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/NodaDistinctlyTypedStrings.php
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+<?PHP
+/**
+ * Checks the distinctly_typed_strings table for whether it
+ * contains a string.
+ */
+declare(strict_types = 1);
+
+/**
+ * Checks the distinctly_typed_strings table for whether it
+ * contains a string.
+ */
+final class NodaDistinctlyTypedStrings {
+
+    /**
+     * Checks the vocabulary database whether it contains a given string.
+     *
+     * @param MDMysqli $mysqli_noda DB connection.
+     * @param string   $lang        Language to check in.
+     * @param string   $search_term Search term.
+     *
+     * @return 'persinst'|'zeiten'|'orte'|'tag'|''
+     */
+    public static function lookup(MDMysqli $mysqli_noda, string $lang, string $search_term):string {
+
+        $result = $mysqli_noda->query_by_stmt("SELECT `type`
+            FROM `distinctly_typed_strings`
+            WHERE `input_string` = ?
+                AND `language` = ?", "ss", $search_term, $lang);
+
+        if (!($cur = $result->fetch_row())) {
+            $result->close();
+            return '';
+        }
+        $result->close();
+
+        if (!in_array($cur[0], ['persinst', 'zeiten', 'orte', 'tag', ''], true)) {
+            throw new Exception("Distinctly typed string of unknown type: " . $cur[0]);
+        }
+
+        return $cur[0];
+
+    }
+
+}