Which to use
“Erdöl” and “Erfolg” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #16,133
- “Erdöl” frequency rank
- #581
- “Erfolg” frequency rank
- 16714
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Erdöl | Erfolg |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | dickflüssiger, schwärzlicher Rohstoff, der durch Tiefbohrung aus dem Erdinnern gefördert wird und in der Industrie vielseitige Verwendung findet | das Gelingen einer Sache |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Erdöl and Erfolg apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. Erdöl ([ˈeːɐ̯tˌʔøːl]) and Erfolg ([ɛɐ̯ˈfɔlk]) 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 16714, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Erdöl is recorded at frequency rank #16,133, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈeːɐ̯tˌʔøːl]. Erfolg is at rank #581, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ɛɐ̯ˈfɔlk].
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 16714, this pair ranks #1,933,579 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of Erdöl vs Erfolg
Shared letters: elr. Private to "Erdöl": dö. Private to "Erfolg": fgo.
"Erdöl" · 5 letters · shape VCCVC · "Erfolg" · 6 letters · shape VCCVCC
Known mistypes of this pair
- Erfolg ← efrolg · erffolg · erflog · erfogl · erfolgg · erfollg · eroflg · errfolg
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "Erdöl" and "Erfolg" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "Erdöl" or "Erfolg"?
Remembering Erdöl vs Erfolg
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 “Erdöl” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable