Which to use
“lachten” and “läuten” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #28,285
- “lachten” frequency rank
- #21,685
- “läuten” frequency rank
- 49970
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | lachten | läuten |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | 1. Person Plural Indikativ Präteritum Aktiv des Verbs lachen | Geräusche durch das Bewegen einer Glocke hervorrufen |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set lachten and läuten apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. lachten ([ˈlaxtn̩]) and läuten ([ˈlɔɪ̯tn̩]) 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 49970, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
lachten is recorded at frequency rank #28,285, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈlaxtn̩]. läuten is at rank #21,685, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈlɔɪ̯tn̩].
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 49970, this pair ranks #1,191,536 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of lachten vs läuten
Shared letters: elnt. Private to "lachten": ach. Private to "läuten": uä.
"lachten" · 7 letters · shape CVCCCVC · "läuten" · 6 letters · shape CVVCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
- lachten ← alchten · lacchten · lachetn · lachhten · lachtenn · lachtne · lachtten · lacthen
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "lachten" and "läuten" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "lachten" or "läuten"?
Remembering lachten vs läuten
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 “lachten” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable