HummelvsHummelsWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#17,615
“Hummel” frequency rank
#16,457
“Hummels” frequency rank
34072
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Hummel Hummels
Definition Vertreter einer Gattung aus der Familie der Echte Bienen mit plumpem, rundlichem Körper und einem pelzigen, häufig bunten Haarkleid (Bombus) Genitiv Singular des Substantivs Hummel

Where the spellings diverge

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

6 ch
Hummel
7 ch
Hummels

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Hummel ([ˈhʊml̩]) and Hummels ([ˈhʊml̩s]) 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 1 extra letter(s) - “Hummel” sits inside “Hummels”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 34072, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Hummel is recorded at frequency rank #17,615, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈhʊml̩]. Hummels is at rank #16,457, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈhʊml̩s].

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 34072, this pair ranks #1,671,659 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of Hummel vs Hummels

Shared letters: ehlmu. Private to "Hummel": -. Private to "Hummels": s.

"Hummel" · 6 letters · shape CVCCVC  ·  "Hummels" · 7 letters · shape CVCCVCC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Hummelhhummel · hmumel · humel · humeml · hummell · hummle · uhmmel
  • Hummelshhummels · hmumels · humels · humemls · hummells · hummelss · hummesl · hummles

Frequency comparison

Hummel#17,615
Hummels#16,457

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Hummel" and "Hummels" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈhʊml̩] versus [ˈhʊml̩s]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Hummel" or "Hummels"?
"Hummels" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #16,457 in our German list, against #17,615 for "Hummel". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering Hummel vs Hummels

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 “Hummel” 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