Which to use
“Lauf” and “Läufer” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #1,737
- “Lauf” frequency rank
- #7,641
- “Läufer” frequency rank
- 9378
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Lauf | Läufer |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | schnelle Fortbewegung zu Fuß, bei der kurzzeitig kein Bodenkontakt besteht | Person, die an einem Wettlauf teilnimmt, die sich laufend vorwärtsbewegt |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Lauf and Läufer apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. Lauf ([laʊ̯f]) and Läufer ([ˈlɔɪ̯fɐ]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by 2 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 9378, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Lauf is recorded at frequency rank #1,737, classified as anoun, pronounced [laʊ̯f]. Läufer is at rank #7,641, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈlɔɪ̯fɐ].
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 9378, this pair ranks #1,980,231 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of Lauf vs Läufer
Shared letters: flu. Private to "Lauf": a. Private to "Läufer": erä.
"Lauf" · 4 letters · shape CVVC · "Läufer" · 6 letters · shape CVVCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
- Lauf ← aluf · lafu · lauff · llauf · luaf
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "Lauf" and "Läufer" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "Lauf" or "Läufer"?
Remembering Lauf vs Läufer
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 “Lauf” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable