Which to use
“run” and “runs” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #8,773
- “run” frequency rank
- #40,182
- “runs” frequency rank
- 48955
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | run | runs |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | sich schnell zu Fuß bewegen; rennen, eilen | 3. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs run |
Where the eye mixes run and runs
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 3 letters in sequence.
Look-alike desk: run vs runs
A purely visual mix-up. run ([rʌn]) and runs ([ɹʌnz]) 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 extra letter(s) - “run” sits inside “runs”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 48955, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
run is recorded at frequency rank #8,773, classified as averb, pronounced [rʌn]. runs is at rank #40,182, tagged as averb, pronounced [ɹʌnz].
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 48955, this pair ranks #1,229,349 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of run vs runs
Shared letters: nru. Private to "run": -. Private to "runs": s.
"run" · 3 letters · shape CVC · "runs" · 4 letters · shape CVCC
Known mistypes of this pair
- runs ← rnus · rruns · runns · runss · rusn · urns
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "run" for "runs" ever safe?
Which is more common, "run" or "runs"?
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 "run" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "runs" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,229,349 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "run" and "runs" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "RUB vs runs". 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 #1,229,349 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.