Which to use
“aktivieren” is a verb and “aktiviert” is an adjective - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #10,605
- “aktivieren” frequency rank
- #7,565
- “aktiviert” frequency rank
- 18170
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | aktivieren | aktiviert |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | jemanden oder etwas in Bewegung versetzen, zu Handlungen, Tätigkeit veranlassen, in Aktion bringen, im Zustand verändern oder in einen Zustand bringen | durch etwas in Gang gesetzt; aktiv gemacht; eingeschaltet |
Where the eye mixes aktivieren and aktiviert
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 8 letters in sequence. aktivieren runs 10 letters (VCCVCVVCVC) against aktiviert's 9 (VCCVCVVCC) - the length gap alone is often enough to separate them once you know to check it.
Why the eye confuses aktivieren with aktiviert
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: aktivieren is [aktiˈviːʁən] while aktiviert is [aktiˈviːɐ̯t]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (verb vs adjective), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 18170, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
aktivieren is recorded at frequency rank #10,605, classified as averb, pronounced [aktiˈviːʁən]. aktiviert is at rank #7,565, tagged as anadj, pronounced [aktiˈviːɐ̯t].
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 18170, this pair ranks #1,920,764 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of aktivieren vs aktiviert
Shared letters: aeikrtv. Private to "aktivieren": n. Private to "aktiviert": -.
"aktivieren" · 10 letters · shape VCCVCVVCVC · "aktiviert" · 9 letters · shape VCCVCVVCC
Known mistypes of this pair
- aktivieren ← akitvieren · akktivieren · aktiiveren · aktiveiren · aktivieern · aktivierenn · aktivierne · aktivierren
- aktiviert ← akitviert · akktiviert · aktiivert · aktiveirt · aktivierrt · aktiviertt · aktivietr · aktiviret
Frequently Asked Questions
Do "aktivieren" and "aktiviert" mean the same thing in a sentence?
Frequency check: "aktivieren" vs "aktiviert" - which ranks higher?
Useful next steps
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "aktivieren" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "aktiviert" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,920,764 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "aktivieren" and "aktiviert" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "aktivieren vs Aktivierung". 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 #1,920,764 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.