SchultervsSchwulerWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#4,158
“Schulter” frequency rank
#18,695
“Schwuler” frequency rank
22853
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Schulter Schwuler
Definition Körperregion bei Wirbeltieren zwischen Halsansatz und den Schultergelenken Homosexueller; jemand, der schwul ist

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Schulter and Schwuler apart are highlighted. They share 7 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

8 ch
Schulter
8 ch
Schwuler

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Schulter ([ˈʃʊltɐ]) and Schwuler ([ˈʃvuːlɐ]) 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 3 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 22853, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Schulter is recorded at frequency rank #4,158, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈʃʊltɐ]. Schwuler is at rank #18,695, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈʃvuːlɐ].

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 22853, this pair ranks #1,868,902 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of Schulter vs Schwuler

Shared letters: cehlrsu. Private to "Schulter": t. Private to "Schwuler": w.

"Schulter" · 8 letters · shape CCCVCCVC  ·  "Schwuler" · 8 letters · shape CCCCVCVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Schultercshulter · scchulter · schhulter · schluter · schuletr · schullter · schulterr · schultre
  • Schwulercshwuler · scchwuler · schhwuler · schuwler · schwluer · schwuelr · schwulerr · schwuller

Frequency comparison

Schulter#4,158
Schwuler#18,695

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Schulter" and "Schwuler" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈʃʊltɐ] versus [ˈʃvuːlɐ]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Schulter" or "Schwuler"?
"Schulter" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #4,158 in our German list, against #18,695 for "Schwuler". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering Schulter vs Schwuler

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 “Schulter” 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