Which to use
“hau” is a verb and “hej” is an intj - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #7,064
- “hau” frequency rank
- #48,213
- “hej” frequency rank
- 55277
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | hau | hej |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | 2. Person Singular Präsens Imperativ Aktiv des Verbs hauen | informelle Grußformel |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set hau and hej apart are highlighted. They share 1 letter in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: hau is [haʊ̯] while hej is [haɪ]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions, and the parts of speech differ too (verb vs intj), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 55277, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
hau is recorded at frequency rank #7,064, classified as averb, pronounced [haʊ̯]. hej is at rank #48,213, tagged as anintj, pronounced [haɪ].
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 55277, this pair ranks #985,849 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of hau vs hej
Shared letters: h. Private to "hau": au. Private to "hej": ej.
"hau" · 3 letters · shape CVV · "hej" · 3 letters · shape CVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "hau" and "hej" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "hau" or "hej"?
Remembering hau vs hej
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “hau”; for an intj, it's “hej”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “hau” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable