Which to use
“langen” and “lenzen” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #1,204
- “langen” frequency rank
- #49,051
- “lenzen” frequency rank
- 50255
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | langen | lenzen |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | sich einem Gegenstand entgegen strecken, um ihn zu ergreifen | Wasser aus einem Boots- oder Schiffskörper entfernen |
Where the eye mixes langen and lenzen
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 4 letters in sequence.
Why the eye confuses langen with lenzen
A purely visual mix-up. langen ([ˈlaŋən]) and lenzen ([ˈlɛnt͡sn̩]) 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 50255, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
langen is recorded at frequency rank #1,204, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈlaŋən]. lenzen is at rank #49,051, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈlɛnt͡sn̩].
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 50255, this pair ranks #1,180,654 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of langen vs lenzen
Shared letters: eln. Private to "langen": ag. Private to "lenzen": z.
"langen" · 6 letters · shape CVCCVC · "lenzen" · 6 letters · shape CVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "langen" and "lenzen" be used interchangeably?
Frequency check: "langen" vs "lenzen" - which ranks higher?
What to do next
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "langen" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "lenzen" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,180,654 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "langen" and "lenzen" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "lenzen vs letten". Nearby pair
- Recorded mistypes exist for at least one side of this pair, useful when a spell-checker or OCR lands on the wrong form. See mistypes
Confusion rank #1,180,654 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.