FlügelvsFlügenWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#3,580
“Flügel” frequency rank
#20,251
“Flügen” frequency rank
23831
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Flügel Flügen
Definition ein Körperteil eines Tieres (wie Insekt, Vogel), der funktional zum Fliegen befähigen kann Dativ Plural des Substantivs Flug

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Flügel and Flügen apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

6 ch
Flügel
6 ch
Flügen

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Flügel ([ˈflyːɡl̩]) and Flügen ([ˈflyːɡn̩]) 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 a single letter - l in “Flügel” becomes n in “Flügen”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 23831, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Flügel is recorded at frequency rank #3,580, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈflyːɡl̩]. Flügen is at rank #20,251, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈflyːɡn̩].

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 23831, this pair ranks #1,856,057 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of Flügel vs Flügen

Shared letters: efglü. Private to "Flügel": -. Private to "Flügen": n.

"Flügel" · 6 letters · shape CCVCVC  ·  "Flügen" · 6 letters · shape CCVCVC

Frequency comparison

Flügel#3,580
Flügen#20,251

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Flügel" and "Flügen" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈflyːɡl̩] versus [ˈflyːɡn̩]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Flügel" or "Flügen"?
"Flügel" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #3,580 in our German list, against #20,251 for "Flügen". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering Flügel vs Flügen

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 “Flügel” 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