Which to use
“Hauptsache” and “Hauptursache” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #3,453
- “Hauptsache” frequency rank
- #39,412
- “Hauptursache” frequency rank
- 42865
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Hauptsache | Hauptursache |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | das Wichtigste; das Entscheidende; das, worum es am meisten geht | entscheidender/wesentlicher Grund |
Where the eye mixes Hauptsache and Hauptursache
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 10 letters in sequence. Hauptsache runs 10 letters (CVVCCCVCCV) against Hauptursache's 12 (CVVCCVCCVCCV) - the length gap alone is often enough to separate them once you know to check it.
Look-alike desk: Hauptsache vs Hauptursache
A purely visual mix-up. Hauptsache ([ˈhaʊ̯ptˌzaxə]) and Hauptursache ([ˈhaʊ̯ptʔuːɐ̯ˌzaxə]) 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 2 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 42865, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Hauptsache is recorded at frequency rank #3,453, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈhaʊ̯ptˌzaxə]. Hauptursache is at rank #39,412, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈhaʊ̯ptʔuːɐ̯ˌzaxə].
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 42865, this pair ranks #1,436,079 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of Hauptsache vs Hauptursache
Shared letters: acehpstu. Private to "Hauptsache": -. Private to "Hauptursache": r.
"Hauptsache" · 10 letters · shape CVVCCCVCCV · "Hauptursache" · 12 letters · shape CVVCCVCCVCCV
Known mistypes of this pair
- Hauptsache ← ahuptsache · haputsache · haupptsache · haupstache · hauptasche · hauptsacche · hauptsaceh · hauptsachhe
- Hauptursache ← ahuptursache · haputursache · haupptursache · hauptrusache · haupttursache · haupturasche · haupturrsache · hauptursacche
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "Hauptsache" for "Hauptursache" ever safe?
Which is more common, "Hauptsache" or "Hauptursache"?
What to do next
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "Hauptsache" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "Hauptursache" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,436,079 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "Hauptsache" and "Hauptursache" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "Hauptfach vs Hauptsache". Nearby pair
- Recorded mistypes exist for at least one side of this pair, useful when a spell-checker or OCR lands on the wrong form. See mistypes
Confusion rank #1,436,079 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.