Which to use
“lächeln” and “lächelst” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #2,734
- “lächeln” frequency rank
- #45,437
- “lächelst” frequency rank
- 48171
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | lächeln | lächelst |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 2. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs lächeln |
Where the eye mixes lächeln and lächelst
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 6 letters in sequence. lächeln runs 7 letters (CVCCVCC) against lächelst's 8 (CVCCVCCC) - the length gap alone is often enough to separate them once you know to check it.
Look-alike desk: lächeln vs lächelst
A purely visual mix-up. lächeln ([ˈlɛçl̩n]) and lächelst ([ˈlɛçl̩st]) 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 48171, 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]. lächelst is at rank #45,437, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈlɛçl̩st].
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 48171, this pair ranks #1,258,243 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of lächeln vs lächelst
Shared letters: cehlä. Private to "lächeln": n. Private to "lächelst": st.
"lächeln" · 7 letters · shape CVCCVCC · "lächelst" · 8 letters · shape CVCCVCCC
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "lächeln" and "lächelst" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "lächeln" or "lächelst"?
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 "lächelst" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,258,243 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "lächeln" and "lächelst" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "lächelst vs lachst". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #1,258,243 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.