Which to use
“lauen” is an adjective and “läuten” is a verb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #42,647
- “lauen” frequency rank
- #21,685
- “läuten” frequency rank
- 64332
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | lauen | läuten |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Genitiv Singular Maskulinum der starken Flexion des Adjektivs lau | Geräusche durch das Bewegen einer Glocke hervorrufen |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set lauen and läuten 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 läuten is [ˈlɔɪ̯tn̩]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (adjective vs verb), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 64332, 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]. läuten is at rank #21,685, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈlɔɪ̯tn̩].
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 64332, this pair ranks #645,296 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of lauen vs läuten
Shared letters: elnu. Private to "lauen": a. Private to "läuten": tä.
"lauen" · 5 letters · shape CVVVC · "läuten" · 6 letters · shape CVVCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
- lauen ← aluen · laeun · llauen · luaen
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "lauen" and "läuten" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "lauen" or "läuten"?
Remembering lauen vs läuten
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need an adjective, it's “lauen”; for a verb, it's “läuten”.
- 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