Which to use
“faulen” and “feilen” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #17,886
- “faulen” frequency rank
- #33,041
- “feilen” frequency rank
- 50927
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | faulen | feilen |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | von Mikroorganismen zersetzt werden; in Fäulnis übergehen | mit einer Feile bearbeiten |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set faulen and feilen apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. faulen ([ˈfaʊ̯lən]) and feilen ([ˈfaɪ̯lən]) 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 50927, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
faulen is recorded at frequency rank #17,886, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈfaʊ̯lən]. feilen is at rank #33,041, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈfaɪ̯lən].
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 50927, this pair ranks #1,155,081 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of faulen vs feilen
Shared letters: efln. Private to "faulen": au. Private to "feilen": i.
"faulen" · 6 letters · shape CVVCVC · "feilen" · 6 letters · shape CVVCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "faulen" and "feilen" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "faulen" or "feilen"?
Remembering faulen vs feilen
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 “faulen” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable