KerlenvsKohlenWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#35,868
“Kerlen” frequency rank
#25,626
“Kohlen” frequency rank
61494
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Kerlen Kohlen
Definition Dativ Plural des Substantivs Kerl Nominativ Plural des Substantivs Kohle

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Kerlen and Kohlen apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

6 ch
Kerlen
6 ch
Kohlen

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Kerlen ([ˈkɛʁlən]) and Kohlen ([ˈkoːlən]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 61494, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Kerlen is recorded at frequency rank #35,868, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈkɛʁlən]. Kohlen is at rank #25,626, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈkoːlən].

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 61494, this pair ranks #747,674 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of Kerlen vs Kohlen

Shared letters: ekln. Private to "Kerlen": r. Private to "Kohlen": ho.

"Kerlen" · 6 letters · shape CVCCVC  ·  "Kohlen" · 6 letters · shape CVCCVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Kerlenekrlen · kelren · kereln · kerlenn · kerllen · kerlne · kerrlen · kkerlen
  • Kohlenkholen · kkohlen · koheln · kohhlen · kohlenn · kohllen · kohlne · kolhen

Frequency comparison

Kerlen#35,868
Kohlen#25,626

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Kerlen" and "Kohlen" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈkɛʁlən] versus [ˈkoːlən]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Kerlen" or "Kohlen"?
"Kohlen" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #25,626 in our German list, against #35,868 for "Kerlen". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering Kerlen vs Kohlen

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 “Kerlen” 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