lügenvslügstWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#2,910
“lügen” frequency rank
#36,489
“lügst” frequency rank
39399
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature lügen lügst
Definition vorsätzlich nicht die Wahrheit sagen 2. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs lügen

Where the spellings diverge

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

5 ch
lügen
5 ch
lügst

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. lügen ([ˈlyːɡn̩]) and lügst ([lyːkst]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 39399, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

lügen is recorded at frequency rank #2,910, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈlyːɡn̩]. lügst is at rank #36,489, tagged as averb, pronounced [lyːkst].

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 39399, this pair ranks #1,537,903 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of lügen vs lügst

Shared letters: glü. Private to "lügen": en. Private to "lügst": st.

"lügen" · 5 letters · shape CVCVC  ·  "lügst" · 5 letters · shape CVCCC

Frequency comparison

lügen#2,910
lügst#36,489

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "lügen" and "lügst" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈlyːɡn̩] versus [lyːkst]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "lügen" or "lügst"?
"lügen" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #2,910 in our German list, against #36,489 for "lügst". That is a wide gap, so in ordinary text the rarer spelling is the one worth double-checking.

Remembering lügen vs lügst

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 “lügen” 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