Which to use
“ausmachen” and “aussahen” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #6,393
- “ausmachen” frequency rank
- #31,944
- “aussahen” frequency rank
- 38337
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | ausmachen | aussahen |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | ein Gerät (Lampe, Heizung, Elektrogerät etc.) abschalten, ein Feuer löschen | 1. Person Plural Indikativ Präteritum Aktiv der Nebensatzkonjugation des Verbs aussehen |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set ausmachen and aussahen apart are highlighted. They share 7 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. ausmachen ([ˈaʊ̯sˌmaxn̩]) and aussahen ([ˈaʊ̯sˌzaːən]) 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 38337, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
ausmachen is recorded at frequency rank #6,393, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈaʊ̯sˌmaxn̩]. aussahen is at rank #31,944, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈaʊ̯sˌzaːən].
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 38337, this pair ranks #1,566,596 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of ausmachen vs aussahen
Shared letters: aehnsu. Private to "ausmachen": cm. Private to "aussahen": -.
"ausmachen" · 9 letters · shape VVCCVCCVC · "aussahen" · 8 letters · shape VVCCVCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "ausmachen" and "aussahen" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "ausmachen" or "aussahen"?
Remembering ausmachen vs aussahen
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 “ausmachen” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable