KlängevsKlaueWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#12,324
“Klänge” frequency rank
#38,224
“Klaue” frequency rank
50548
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Klänge Klaue
Definition Nominativ Plural des Substantivs Klang Hornteil des Tierfußes, besonders Huf von Wiederkäuern, Kralle von Raubvögeln

Where the spellings diverge

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

6 ch
Klänge
5 ch
Klaue

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Klänge ([ˈklɛŋə]) 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 50548, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Klänge is recorded at frequency rank #12,324, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈklɛŋə]. 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 50548, this pair ranks #1,169,489 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of Klänge vs Klaue

Shared letters: ekl. Private to "Klänge": gnä. Private to "Klaue": au.

"Klänge" · 6 letters · shape CCVCCV  ·  "Klaue" · 5 letters · shape CCVVV

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Klauekalue · kklaue · klaeu · kllaue · kluae · lkaue

Frequency comparison

Klänge#12,324
Klaue#38,224

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Klänge" and "Klaue" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈklɛŋə] versus [ˈklaʊ̯ə]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Klänge" or "Klaue"?
"Klänge" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #12,324 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 Klänge 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 “Klänge” 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