Which to use
“abfragen” and “absagen” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #33,414
- “abfragen” frequency rank
- #10,793
- “absagen” frequency rank
- 44207
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | abfragen | absagen |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Prüfungsfragen stellen | etwas Angekündigtes widerrufen, eine Veranstaltung oder sonstiges nicht stattfinden lassen |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set abfragen and absagen apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. abfragen ([ˈapˌfʁaːɡn̩]) and absagen ([ˈapˌzaːɡn̩]) 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 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 44207, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
abfragen is recorded at frequency rank #33,414, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈapˌfʁaːɡn̩]. absagen is at rank #10,793, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈapˌzaːɡn̩].
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 44207, this pair ranks #1,393,528 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of abfragen vs absagen
Shared letters: abegn. Private to "abfragen": fr. Private to "absagen": s.
"abfragen" · 8 letters · shape VCCCVCVC · "absagen" · 7 letters · shape VCCVCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "abfragen" and "absagen" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "abfragen" or "absagen"?
Remembering abfragen vs absagen
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 “abfragen” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable