Which to use
“ile” is a noun and “irre” is an adjective - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #48,983
- “ile” frequency rank
- #4,524
- “irre” frequency rank
- 53507
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | ile | irre |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Haar n | an einer Störung oder Fehlleistung des Geistes- und Seelenlebens (= Geisteskrankheit) leidend |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set ile and irre apart are highlighted. They share 2 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
Our dataset has no pronunciation recorded for both members, so the reliable separator here is grammatical: ile is anoun and irreanadjective. On the page they differ by 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 53507, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
ile is recorded at frequency rank #48,983, classified as anoun, pronounced […]. irre is at rank #4,524, tagged as anadj, pronounced [ˈɪʁə].
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 53507, this pair ranks #1,055,302 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of ile vs irre
Shared letters: ei. Private to "ile": l. Private to "irre": r.
"ile" · 3 letters · shape VCV · "irre" · 4 letters · shape VCCV
Known mistypes of this pair
- irre ← irer · rire
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "ile" and "irre" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "ile" or "irre"?
Remembering ile vs irre
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a noun, it's “ile”; for an adjective, it's “irre”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “ile” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable