Which to use
“Anlage” and “Anlass” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #1,651
- “Anlage” frequency rank
- #2,231
- “Anlass” frequency rank
- 3882
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Anlage | Anlass |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | persönliche Veranlagung (geistig, körperlich); Faktoren, die durch Erziehung nicht beeinflussbar sind | ein Grund, der den Zweck einer Handlung oder eines Verhaltens erklärt; beziehungsweise ein Beweggrund |
Where the eye mixes Anlage and Anlass
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 4 letters in sequence. Anlage (VCCVCV) and Anlass (VCCVCC) run the same length but a different consonant-vowel pattern - the shape difference is usually the fastest tell.
Look-alike desk: Anlage vs Anlass
A purely visual mix-up. Anlage ([ˈanˌlaːɡə]) and Anlass ([ˈanˌlas]) 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 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 3882, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Anlage is recorded at frequency rank #1,651, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈanˌlaːɡə]. Anlass is at rank #2,231, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈanˌlas].
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 3882, this pair ranks #1,999,139 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of Anlage vs Anlass
Shared letters: aln. Private to "Anlage": eg. Private to "Anlass": s.
"Anlage" · 6 letters · shape VCCVCV · "Anlass" · 6 letters · shape VCCVCC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "Anlage" and "Anlass" be used interchangeably?
Frequency check: "Anlage" vs "Anlass" - which ranks higher?
What to do next
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "Anlage" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "Anlass" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,999,139 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "Anlage" and "Anlass" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "anfasst vs Anlass". 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 #1,999,139 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.