Which to use
“lächeln” and “lächelnd” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #2,734
- “lächeln” frequency rank
- #17,066
- “lächelnd” frequency rank
- 19800
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | lächeln | lächelnd |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | die Mundwinkel nach oben zu einem Grinsen ziehen und dabei (oft oder selten, je nach Person) den Mund leicht öffnen, wodurch man die Zähne sehen kann | Partizip Präsens des Verbs lächeln |
Where the eye mixes lächeln and lächelnd
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 7 letters in sequence. lächeln runs 7 letters (CVCCVCC) against lächelnd's 8 (CVCCVCCC) - the length gap alone is often enough to separate them once you know to check it.
Why the eye confuses lächeln with lächelnd
A purely visual mix-up. lächeln ([ˈlɛçl̩n]) and lächelnd ([ˈlɛçl̩nt]) 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 extra letter(s) - “lächeln” sits inside “lächelnd”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 19800, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
lächeln is recorded at frequency rank #2,734, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈlɛçl̩n]. lächelnd is at rank #17,066, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈlɛçl̩nt].
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 19800, this pair ranks #1,904,454 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of lächeln vs lächelnd
Shared letters: cehlnä. Private to "lächeln": -. Private to "lächelnd": d.
"lächeln" · 7 letters · shape CVCCVCC · "lächelnd" · 8 letters · shape CVCCVCCC
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "lächeln" for "lächelnd" ever safe?
Which is more common, "lächeln" or "lächelnd"?
Useful next steps
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "lächeln" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "lächelnd" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,904,454 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "lächeln" and "lächelnd" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "lächelnd vs lächelst". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #1,904,454 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.