Which to use
“Läufer” and “Läuse” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #7,641
- “Läufer” frequency rank
- #43,335
- “Läuse” frequency rank
- 50976
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Läufer | Läuse |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Person, die an einem Wettlauf teilnimmt, die sich laufend vorwärtsbewegt | Nominativ Plural des Substantivs Laus |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Läufer and Läuse apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. Läufer ([ˈlɔɪ̯fɐ]) and Läuse ([ˈlɔɪ̯zə]) 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 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 50976, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Läufer is recorded at frequency rank #7,641, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈlɔɪ̯fɐ]. 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 50976, this pair ranks #1,153,258 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of Läufer vs Läuse
Shared letters: eluä. Private to "Läufer": fr. Private to "Läuse": s.
"Läufer" · 6 letters · shape CVVCVC · "Läuse" · 5 letters · shape CVVCV
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "Läufer" and "Läuse" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "Läufer" or "Läuse"?
Remembering Läufer vs Läuse
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 “Läufer” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable