lädtvslestWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#3,980
“lädt” frequency rank
#18,316
“lest” frequency rank
22296
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature lädt lest
Definition 3. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs laden 2. Person Plural Imperativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs lesen

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set lädt and lest apart are highlighted. They share 2 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

4 ch
lädt
4 ch
lest

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. lädt ([lɛːt]) and lest ([leːst]) 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 22296, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

lädt is recorded at frequency rank #3,980, classified as averb, pronounced [lɛːt]. lest is at rank #18,316, tagged as averb, pronounced [leːst].

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 22296, this pair ranks #1,875,896 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of lädt vs lest

Shared letters: lt. Private to "lädt": . Private to "lest": es.

"lädt" · 4 letters · shape CVCC  ·  "lest" · 4 letters · shape CVCC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • lestelst · lesst · lestt · llest · lset

Frequency comparison

lädt#3,980
lest#18,316

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "lädt" and "lest" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([lɛːt] versus [leːst]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "lädt" or "lest"?
"lädt" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #3,980 in our German list, against #18,316 for "lest". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering lädt vs lest

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 “lädt” 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