Which to use
“Spiegel” and “Spitzel” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #1,569
- “Spiegel” frequency rank
- #30,776
- “Spitzel” frequency rank
- 32345
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Spiegel | Spitzel |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | polierte Glas- oder Metallfläche, die Lichtstrahlen spiegelt oder reflektiert | jemand, der in fremdem Auftrag insgeheim herumspioniert |
Where the eye mixes Spiegel and Spitzel
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 5 letters in sequence. Spiegel (CCVVCVC) and Spitzel (CCVCCVC) run the same length but a different consonant-vowel pattern - the shape difference is usually the fastest tell.
Visual trap between Spiegel and Spitzel
A purely visual mix-up. Spiegel ([ˈʃpiːɡl̩]) and Spitzel ([ˈʃpɪt͡sl̩]) 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 32345, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Spiegel is recorded at frequency rank #1,569, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈʃpiːɡl̩]. Spitzel is at rank #30,776, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈʃpɪt͡sl̩].
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 32345, this pair ranks #1,709,620 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of Spiegel vs Spitzel
Shared letters: eilps. Private to "Spiegel": g. Private to "Spitzel": tz.
"Spiegel" · 7 letters · shape CCVVCVC · "Spitzel" · 7 letters · shape CCVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "Spiegel" for "Spitzel" ever safe?
Frequency check: "Spiegel" vs "Spitzel" - which ranks higher?
What to do next
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "Spiegel" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "Spitzel" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,709,620 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "Spiegel" and "Spitzel" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "Spitzel vs Spritzer". 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 #1,709,620 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.