Schluss vs Schlüssel, What's the Difference?

Which to use

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

#1,042
“Schluss” frequency rank: #3,149
“Schlüssel” frequency rank: 4191
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature	Schluss	Schlüssel
Definition	Ende oder Handlung des Beendens (siehe auch beenden)	Gegenstand zum Schließen und Öffnen eines Schlosses

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Schluss and Schlüssel apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

7 ch

Schluss

9 ch

Schlüssel

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Schluss ([ʃlʊs]) and Schlüssel ([ˈʃlʏsl̩]) 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 2 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 4191, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Schluss is recorded at frequency rank #1,042, classified as anoun, pronounced [ʃlʊs]. Schlüssel is at rank #3,149, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈʃlʏsl̩].

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 4191, this pair ranks #1,998,348 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of Schluss vs Schlüssel

Shared letters: chls. Private to "Schluss": u. Private to "Schlüssel": eü.

"Schluss" · 7 letters · shape CCCCVCC · "Schlüssel" · 9 letters · shape CCCCVCCVC

Known mistypes of this pair

Schluss ← cshluss · scchluss · schhluss · schlluss · schlsus · schlus · schluß · schulss

Frequency comparison

Schluss#1,042

Schlüssel#3,149

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Schluss" and "Schlüssel" be used interchangeably?

No. They are said differently ([ʃlʊs] versus [ˈʃlʏsl̩]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.

Which is more common, "Schluss" or "Schlüssel"?

"Schluss" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #1,042 in our German list, against #3,149 for "Schlüssel". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering Schluss vs Schlüssel

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