KlängevsKlingeWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#12,324
“Klänge” frequency rank
#10,678
“Klinge” frequency rank
23002
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Klänge Klinge
Definition Nominativ Plural des Substantivs Klang flacher, geschärfter Teil diverser Werkzeuge (zum Beispiel Beil, Sichel, Sense) und Waffen (Messer, Dolch, Axt), welcher die Schneide enthält

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Klänge and Klinge apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

6 ch
Klänge
6 ch
Klinge

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Klänge ([ˈklɛŋə]) and Klinge ([ˈklɪŋə]) 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 a single letter - ä in “Klänge” becomes i in “Klinge”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 23002, 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]. Klinge is at rank #10,678, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈklɪŋə].

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 23002, this pair ranks #1,866,990 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of Klänge vs Klinge

Shared letters: egkln. Private to "Klänge": ä. Private to "Klinge": i.

"Klänge" · 6 letters · shape CCVCCV  ·  "Klinge" · 6 letters · shape CCVCCV

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Klingekilnge · kklinge · kligne · klineg · klingge · klinnge · kllinge · klnige

Frequency comparison

Klänge#12,324
Klinge#10,678

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Klänge" and "Klinge" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈklɛŋə] versus [ˈklɪŋə]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Klänge" or "Klinge"?
"Klinge" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #10,678 in our German list, against #12,324 for "Klänge". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering Klänge vs Klinge

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