LackevsLinkeWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#45,413
“Lacke” frequency rank
#1,185
“Linke” frequency rank
46598
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Lacke Linke
Definition kleine Flüssigkeitsansammlung; Ansammlung von Regenwasser, Pfütze, kleines Gewässer die links gelegene Hand

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Lacke and Linke apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

5 ch
Lacke
5 ch
Linke

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Lacke ([ˈlakə]) and Linke ([ˈlɪŋkə]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 46598, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Lacke is recorded at frequency rank #45,413, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈlakə]. Linke is at rank #1,185, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈlɪŋkə].

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 46598, this pair ranks #1,313,610 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of Lacke vs Linke

Shared letters: ekl. Private to "Lacke": ac. Private to "Linke": in.

"Lacke" · 5 letters · shape CVCCV  ·  "Linke" · 5 letters · shape CVCCV

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Lackealcke · laccke · lacek · lackke · lakce · lcake · llacke
  • Linkeilnke · likne · linek · linkke · linnke · llinke · lnike

Frequency comparison

Lacke#45,413
Linke#1,185

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Lacke" and "Linke" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈlakə] versus [ˈlɪŋkə]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Lacke" or "Linke"?
"Linke" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #1,185 in our German list, against #45,413 for "Lacke". That is a wide gap, so in ordinary text the rarer spelling is the one worth double-checking.

Remembering Lacke vs Linke

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 “Lacke” 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