lebtvslecktWhat's the difference?

Which to use

“lebt” and “leckt” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#1,136
“lebt” frequency rank
#21,337
“leckt” frequency rank
22473
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature lebt leckt
Definition 3. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs leben 3. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs lecken

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set lebt and leckt apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

4 ch
lebt
5 ch
leckt

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. lebt ([leːpt]) and leckt ([lɛkt]) 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 22473, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

lebt is recorded at frequency rank #1,136, classified as averb, pronounced [leːpt]. leckt is at rank #21,337, tagged as averb, pronounced [lɛkt].

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 22473, this pair ranks #1,873,721 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of lebt vs leckt

Shared letters: elt. Private to "lebt": b. Private to "leckt": ck.

"lebt" · 4 letters · shape CVCC  ·  "leckt" · 5 letters · shape CVCCC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • lebtelbt · lbet · lebbt · lebtt · letb · llebt
  • lecktelckt · lcekt · lecckt · leckkt · lecktt · lectk · lekct · lleckt

Frequency comparison

lebt#1,136
leckt#21,337

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "lebt" and "leckt" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([leːpt] versus [lɛkt]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "lebt" or "leckt"?
"lebt" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #1,136 in our German list, against #21,337 for "leckt". That is a wide gap, so in ordinary text the rarer spelling is the one worth double-checking.

Remembering lebt vs leckt

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 “lebt” entry
  • Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list