dellvsdelleWhat's the difference?

Which to use

“dell” and “delle” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#18,204
“dell” frequency rank
#19,865
“delle” frequency rank
38069
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature dell delle
Definition 2. Person Singular Imperativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs dellen 2. Person Singular Imperativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs dellen

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set dell and delle apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

4 ch
dell
5 ch
delle

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. dell ([dɛl]) and delle ([ˈdɛlə]) 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 extra letter(s) - “dell” sits inside “delle”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 38069, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

dell is recorded at frequency rank #18,204, classified as averb, pronounced [dɛl]. delle is at rank #19,865, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈdɛlə].

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 38069, this pair ranks #1,573,597 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of dell vs delle

Shared letters: del. Private to "dell": -. Private to "delle": -.

"dell" · 4 letters · shape CVCC  ·  "delle" · 5 letters · shape CVCCV

Known mistypes of this pair

  • dellddell · dlel · edll
  • delleddelle · delel · dlele

Frequency comparison

dell#18,204
delle#19,865

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "dell" and "delle" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([dɛl] versus [ˈdɛlə]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "dell" or "delle"?
"dell" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #18,204 in our German list, against #19,865 for "delle". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering dell vs delle

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 “dell” entry
  • Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list