Which to use
“lauen” is an adjective and “Läufern” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #42,647
- “lauen” frequency rank
- #47,574
- “Läufern” frequency rank
- 90221
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | lauen | Läufern |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Genitiv Singular Maskulinum der starken Flexion des Adjektivs lau | Dativ Plural des Substantivs Läufer |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set lauen and Läufern apart are highlighted. They share 4 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: lauen is [ˈlaʊ̯ən] while Läufern is [ˈlɔɪ̯fɐn]. 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 90221, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
lauen is recorded at frequency rank #42,647, classified as anadj, pronounced [ˈlaʊ̯ən]. Läufern is at rank #47,574, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈlɔɪ̯fɐn].
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 90221, this pair ranks #49,111 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.
Orthographic DNA of lauen vs Läufern
Shared letters: elnu. Private to "lauen": a. Private to "Läufern": frä.
"lauen" · 5 letters · shape CVVVC · "Läufern" · 7 letters · shape CVVCVCC
Known mistypes of this pair
- lauen ← aluen · laeun · llauen · luaen
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "lauen" and "Läufern" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "lauen" or "Läufern"?
Remembering lauen vs Läufern
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need an adjective, it's “lauen”; for a noun, it's “Läufern”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “lauen” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable