KlanvsKlaueWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#30,640
“Klan” frequency rank
#38,224
“Klaue” frequency rank
68864
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Klan Klaue
Definition eine Gruppe der schottischen Clangesellschaft Hornteil des Tierfußes, besonders Huf von Wiederkäuern, Kralle von Raubvögeln

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Klan and Klaue apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

4 ch
Klan
5 ch
Klaue

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Klan ([klaːn]) and Klaue ([ˈklaʊ̯ə]) 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 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 68864, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Klan is recorded at frequency rank #30,640, classified as anoun, pronounced [klaːn]. Klaue is at rank #38,224, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈklaʊ̯ə].

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 68864, this pair ranks #494,399 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.

Orthographic DNA of Klan vs Klaue

Shared letters: akl. Private to "Klan": n. Private to "Klaue": eu.

"Klan" · 4 letters · shape CCVC  ·  "Klaue" · 5 letters · shape CCVVV

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Klankaln · kklan · klann · kllan · klna · lkan
  • Klauekalue · kklaue · klaeu · kllaue · kluae · lkaue

Frequency comparison

Klan#30,640
Klaue#38,224

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Klan" and "Klaue" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([klaːn] versus [ˈklaʊ̯ə]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Klan" or "Klaue"?
"Klan" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #30,640 in our German list, against #38,224 for "Klaue". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering Klan vs Klaue

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 “Klan” 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