Which to use
“Lebenslauf” and “Lebensläufe” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #7,083
- “Lebenslauf” frequency rank
- #41,313
- “Lebensläufe” frequency rank
- 48396
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Lebenslauf | Lebensläufe |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Abfolge dessen, was sich im Verlauf des Lebens von jemandem ereignet hat | Nominativ Plural des Substantivs Lebenslauf |
Where the eye mixes Lebenslauf and Lebensläufe
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 9 letters in sequence. Lebenslauf runs 10 letters (CVCVCCCVVC) against Lebensläufe's 11 (CVCVCCCVVCV) - the length gap alone is often enough to separate them once you know to check it.
Look-alike desk: Lebenslauf vs Lebensläufe
A purely visual mix-up. Lebenslauf ([ˈleːbn̩sˌlaʊ̯f]) and Lebensläufe ([ˈleːbn̩sˌlɔɪ̯fə]) 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 48396, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Lebenslauf is recorded at frequency rank #7,083, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈleːbn̩sˌlaʊ̯f]. Lebensläufe is at rank #41,313, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈleːbn̩sˌlɔɪ̯fə].
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 48396, this pair ranks #1,250,057 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of Lebenslauf vs Lebensläufe
Shared letters: beflnsu. Private to "Lebenslauf": a. Private to "Lebensläufe": ä.
"Lebenslauf" · 10 letters · shape CVCVCCCVVC · "Lebensläufe" · 11 letters · shape CVCVCCCVVCV
Known mistypes of this pair
- Lebenslauf ← elbenslauf · lbeenslauf · lebbenslauf · lebenlsauf · lebennslauf · lebensaluf · lebenslafu · lebenslauff
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "Lebenslauf" and "Lebensläufe" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "Lebenslauf" or "Lebensläufe"?
Useful next steps
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "Lebenslauf" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "Lebensläufe" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,250,057 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "Lebenslauf" and "Lebensläufe" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "Lebensläufe vs Lebensräume". Nearby pair
- Recorded mistypes exist for at least one side of this pair, useful when a spell-checker or OCR lands on the wrong form. See mistypes
Confusion rank #1,250,057 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.