lächelstvslachstWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#45,437
“lächelst” frequency rank
#28,742
“lachst” frequency rank
74179
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature lächelst lachst
Definition 2. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs lächeln 2. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs lachen

Where the spellings diverge

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

8 ch
lächelst
6 ch
lachst

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. lächelst ([ˈlɛçl̩st]) and lachst ([laxst]) 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 2 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 74179, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

lächelst is recorded at frequency rank #45,437, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈlɛçl̩st]. lachst is at rank #28,742, tagged as averb, pronounced [laxst].

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 74179, this pair ranks #340,348 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.

Orthographic DNA of lächelst vs lachst

Shared letters: chlst. Private to "lächelst": . Private to "lachst": a.

"lächelst" · 8 letters · shape CVCCVCCC  ·  "lachst" · 6 letters · shape CVCCCC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • lachstalchst · lacchst · lachhst · lachsst · lachstt · lachts · lacsht · lahcst

Frequency comparison

lächelst#45,437
lachst#28,742

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "lächelst" and "lachst" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈlɛçl̩st] versus [laxst]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "lächelst" or "lachst"?
"lachst" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #28,742 in our German list, against #45,437 for "lächelst". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering lächelst vs lachst

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 “lächelst” 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