löschenvslosgehenWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#3,388
“löschen” frequency rank
#9,943
“losgehen” frequency rank
13331
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature löschen losgehen
Definition ein Feuer vernichten sich von einem Ort zu Fuß entfernen

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set löschen and losgehen apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

7 ch
löschen
8 ch
losgehen

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. löschen ([ˈlœʃn̩]) and losgehen ([ˈloːsˌɡeːən]) 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 13331, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

löschen is recorded at frequency rank #3,388, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈlœʃn̩]. losgehen is at rank #9,943, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈloːsˌɡeːən].

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 13331, this pair ranks #1,958,670 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of löschen vs losgehen

Shared letters: ehlns. Private to "löschen": . Private to "losgehen": go.

"löschen" · 7 letters · shape CVCCCVC  ·  "losgehen" · 8 letters · shape CVCCVCVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • losgehenllosgehen · logsehen · loseghen · losgeehn · losgehenn · losgehhen · losgehne · losggehen

Frequency comparison

löschen#3,388
losgehen#9,943

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "löschen" and "losgehen" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈlœʃn̩] versus [ˈloːsˌɡeːən]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "löschen" or "losgehen"?
"löschen" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #3,388 in our German list, against #9,943 for "losgehen". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering löschen vs losgehen

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 “löschen” 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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list