WäschevsWischWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#6,614
“Wäsche” frequency rank
#27,137
“Wisch” frequency rank
33751
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Wäsche Wisch
Definition Gesamtheit mehrerer Kleidungs- und Textilstücke, die kürzlich gewaschen wurden oder gewaschen werden sollen Schriftstück, das als wertlos betrachtet wird, häufig von Behörden und offiziellen Stellen

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Wäsche and Wisch apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

6 ch
Wäsche
5 ch
Wisch

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

Wäsche and Wisch form a confusable pair in the German index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They differ by 1 letter(s) in length - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 33751, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Wäsche is recorded at frequency rank #6,614, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈvɛʃə]. Wisch is at rank #27,137, tagged as anoun, pronounced [vɪʃ].

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 33751, this pair ranks #1,678,877 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Frequency comparison

Wäsche#6,614
Wisch#27,137

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Wäsche" and "Wisch" be used interchangeably?
No, "Wäsche" and "Wisch" have distinct meanings and cannot be swapped without changing the meaning of a sentence. Understanding the specific definition and context for each word is essential for correct usage.

Remembering Wäsche vs Wisch

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 “Wäsche” 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