Which to use
“lächelte” and “lachte” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #17,354
- “lächelte” frequency rank
- #13,642
- “lachte” frequency rank
- 30996
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | lächelte | lachte |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | 1. Person Singular Indikativ Präteritum Aktiv des Verbs lächeln | 1. Person Singular Indikativ Präteritum Aktiv des Verbs lachen |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set lächelte and lachte apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. lächelte ([ˈlɛçl̩tə]) and lachte ([ˈlaxtə]) 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 30996, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
lächelte is recorded at frequency rank #17,354, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈlɛçl̩tə]. lachte is at rank #13,642, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈlaxtə].
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 30996, this pair ranks #1,736,863 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of lächelte vs lachte
Shared letters: cehlt. Private to "lächelte": ä. Private to "lachte": a.
"lächelte" · 8 letters · shape CVCCVCCV · "lachte" · 6 letters · shape CVCCCV
Known mistypes of this pair
- lachte ← alchte · lacchte · lachet · lachhte · lachtte · lacthe · lahcte · lcahte
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "lächelte" and "lachte" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "lächelte" or "lachte"?
Remembering lächelte vs lachte
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 “lächelte” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable