flügelnvsFlügenWhat's the difference?

Quick tell: flügeln is a verb, Flügen is a noun, so they fill different roles in a sentence.

Which to use

“flügeln” is a verb and “Flügen” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.

#16,424
“flügeln” frequency rank
#20,251
“Flügen” frequency rank
36675
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature flügeln Flügen
Definition poetisch für beflügeln Dativ Plural des Substantivs Flug

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set flügeln and Flügen apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

7 ch
flügeln
6 ch
Flügen

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: flügeln is [ˈflyːɡl̩n] while Flügen is [ˈflyːɡn̩]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (verb vs noun), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 36675, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

flügeln is recorded at frequency rank #16,424, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈflyːɡl̩n]. 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 36675, this pair ranks #1,609,529 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of flügeln vs Flügen

Shared letters: efglnü. Private to "flügeln": -. Private to "Flügen": -.

"flügeln" · 7 letters · shape CCVCVCC  ·  "Flügen" · 6 letters · shape CCVCVC

Frequency comparison

flügeln#16,424
Flügen#20,251

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "flügeln" and "Flügen" be used interchangeably?
No - they are not even the same part of speech. "flügeln" is a verb and "Flügen" a noun, so a sentence built for one is usually ungrammatical with the other.
Which is more common, "flügeln" or "Flügen"?
"flügeln" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #16,424 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 flügeln vs Flügen

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

  • Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “flügeln”; for a noun, it's “Flügen”.
  • See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “flügeln” 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