lächlevslachtenWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#39,515
“lächle” frequency rank
#28,285
“lachten” frequency rank
67800
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature lächle lachten
Definition 2. Person Singular Imperativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs lächeln 1. Person Plural Indikativ Präteritum Aktiv des Verbs lachen

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set lächle and lachten apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

6 ch
lächle
7 ch
lachten

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. lächle ([ˈlɛçlə]) and lachten ([ˈlaxtn̩]) 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 67800, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

lächle is recorded at frequency rank #39,515, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈlɛçlə]. lachten is at rank #28,285, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈlaxtn̩].

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 67800, this pair ranks #528,349 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of lächle vs lachten

Shared letters: cehl. Private to "lächle": ä. Private to "lachten": ant.

"lächle" · 6 letters · shape CVCCCV  ·  "lachten" · 7 letters · shape CVCCCVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • lachtenalchten · lacchten · lachetn · lachhten · lachtenn · lachtne · lachtten · lacthen

Frequency comparison

lächle#39,515
lachten#28,285

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "lächle" and "lachten" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈlɛçlə] versus [ˈlaxtn̩]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "lächle" or "lachten"?
"lachten" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #28,285 in our German list, against #39,515 for "lächle". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering lächle vs lachten

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 “lächle” 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