Which to use
“lachen” and “löschen” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #1,486
- “lachen” frequency rank
- #3,388
- “löschen” frequency rank
- 4874
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | lachen | löschen |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | wegen Belustigung den Mund öffnen und Laute ausstoßen | ein Feuer vernichten |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set lachen and löschen 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. lachen ([ˈlaxn̩]) and löschen ([ˈlœʃn̩]) 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 4874, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
lachen is recorded at frequency rank #1,486, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈlaxn̩]. löschen is at rank #3,388, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈlœʃn̩].
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 4874, this pair ranks #1,996,421 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of lachen vs löschen
Shared letters: cehln. Private to "lachen": a. Private to "löschen": sö.
"lachen" · 6 letters · shape CVCCVC · "löschen" · 7 letters · shape CVCCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
- lachen ← alchen · lacchen · lacehn · lachenn · lachhen · lachne · lahcen · lcahen
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "lachen" and "löschen" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "lachen" or "löschen"?
Remembering lachen vs löschen
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 “lachen” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable