VerlaubvsVorlaufWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#30,359
“Verlaub” frequency rank
#22,957
“Vorlauf” frequency rank
53316
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Verlaub Vorlauf
Definition Erlaubnis die normale Laufrichtung

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Verlaub and Vorlauf apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

7 ch
Verlaub
7 ch
Vorlauf

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Verlaub ([fɛɐ̯ˈlaʊ̯p]) and Vorlauf ([ˈfoːɐ̯laʊ̯f]) 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 53316, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Verlaub is recorded at frequency rank #30,359, classified as anoun, pronounced [fɛɐ̯ˈlaʊ̯p]. Vorlauf is at rank #22,957, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈfoːɐ̯laʊ̯f].

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 53316, this pair ranks #1,062,791 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of Verlaub vs Vorlauf

Shared letters: alruv. Private to "Verlaub": be. Private to "Vorlauf": fo.

"Verlaub" · 7 letters · shape CVCCVVC  ·  "Vorlauf" · 7 letters · shape CVCCVVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Verlaubevrlaub · velraub · veralub · verlabu · verlaubb · verllaub · verluab · verrlaub
  • Vorlaufovrlauf · volrauf · voraluf · vorlafu · vorlauff · vorllauf · vorluaf · vorrlauf

Frequency comparison

Verlaub#30,359
Vorlauf#22,957

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Verlaub" and "Vorlauf" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([fɛɐ̯ˈlaʊ̯p] versus [ˈfoːɐ̯laʊ̯f]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Verlaub" or "Vorlauf"?
"Vorlauf" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #22,957 in our German list, against #30,359 for "Verlaub". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering Verlaub vs Vorlauf

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 “Verlaub” 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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list