Which to use
“Ablauf” and “Auslauf” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #4,015
- “Ablauf” frequency rank
- #35,076
- “Auslauf” frequency rank
- 39091
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Ablauf | Auslauf |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Prozess, Abfolge | Bewegungsfreiheit für jemanden oder etwas |
Where the eye mixes Ablauf and Auslauf
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 5 letters in sequence. Ablauf runs 6 letters (VCCVVC) against Auslauf's 7 (VVCCVVC) - the length gap alone is often enough to separate them once you know to check it.
Why the eye confuses Ablauf with Auslauf
A purely visual mix-up. Ablauf ([ˈapˌlaʊ̯f]) and Auslauf ([aʊ̯slaʊ̯f]) 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 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 39091, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Ablauf is recorded at frequency rank #4,015, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈapˌlaʊ̯f]. Auslauf is at rank #35,076, tagged as anoun, pronounced [aʊ̯slaʊ̯f].
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 39091, this pair ranks #1,546,331 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of Ablauf vs Auslauf
Shared letters: aflu. Private to "Ablauf": b. Private to "Auslauf": s.
"Ablauf" · 6 letters · shape VCCVVC · "Auslauf" · 7 letters · shape VVCCVVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Do "Ablauf" and "Auslauf" mean the same thing in a sentence?
In ordinary German text, does "Ablauf" or "Auslauf" show up more?
Useful next steps
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "Ablauf" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "Auslauf" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,546,331 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "Ablauf" and "Auslauf" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "Auslauf vs Ausruf". Nearby pair
- Recorded mistypes exist for at least one side of this pair, useful when a spell-checker or OCR lands on the wrong form. See mistypes
Confusion rank #1,546,331 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.