Which to use
“anhören” and “anzuhören” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #6,143
- “anhören” frequency rank
- #21,526
- “anzuhören” frequency rank
- 27669
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | anhören | anzuhören |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | jemandem (aufmerksam) zuhören; jemandem (vor allem vor Gericht) Gehör schenken | erweiterter Infinitiv Aktiv des Verbs anhören |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set anhören and anzuhören apart are highlighted. They share 7 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. anhören ([ˈanˌhøːʁən]) and anzuhören ([ˈant͡suˌhøːʁən]) 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 2 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 27669, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
anhören is recorded at frequency rank #6,143, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈanˌhøːʁən]. anzuhören is at rank #21,526, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈant͡suˌhøːʁən].
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 27669, this pair ranks #1,797,918 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of anhören vs anzuhören
Shared letters: aehnrö. Private to "anhören": -. Private to "anzuhören": uz.
"anhören" · 7 letters · shape VCCVCVC · "anzuhören" · 9 letters · shape VCCVCVCVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "anhören" and "anzuhören" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "anhören" or "anzuhören"?
Remembering anhören vs anzuhören
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 “anhören” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable