Which to use
“lau” is an adjective and “Läuse” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #16,210
- “lau” frequency rank
- #43,335
- “Läuse” frequency rank
- 59545
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | lau | Läuse |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | von einer mittleren Temperatur zwischen kühl und warm | Nominativ Plural des Substantivs Laus |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set lau and Läuse apart are highlighted. They share 2 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: lau is [laʊ̯] while Läuse is [ˈlɔɪ̯zə]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 2 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (adjective vs noun), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 59545, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
lau is recorded at frequency rank #16,210, classified as anadj, pronounced [laʊ̯]. Läuse is at rank #43,335, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈlɔɪ̯zə].
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 59545, this pair ranks #820,596 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of lau vs Läuse
Shared letters: lu. Private to "lau": a. Private to "Läuse": esä.
"lau" · 3 letters · shape CVV · "Läuse" · 5 letters · shape CVVCV
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "lau" and "Läuse" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "lau" or "Läuse"?
Remembering lau vs Läuse
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need an adjective, it's “lau”; for a noun, it's “Läuse”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “lau” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable