Which to use
“bedanken” and “bedecken” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #6,276
- “bedanken” frequency rank
- #21,182
- “bedecken” frequency rank
- 27458
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | bedanken | bedecken |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | seinen Dank für etwas, das man erhalten hat, ausdrücken | etwas über etwas/jemanden legen (oft zum Schutze vor zum Beispiel Kälte oder Blicken) |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set bedanken and bedecken 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. bedanken ([bəˈdaŋkn̩]) and bedecken ([bəˈdɛkn̩]) 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 27458, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
bedanken is recorded at frequency rank #6,276, classified as averb, pronounced [bəˈdaŋkn̩]. bedecken is at rank #21,182, tagged as averb, pronounced [bəˈdɛkn̩].
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 27458, this pair ranks #1,801,484 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of bedanken vs bedecken
Shared letters: bdekn. Private to "bedanken": a. Private to "bedecken": c.
"bedanken" · 8 letters · shape CVCVCCVC · "bedecken" · 8 letters · shape CVCVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "bedanken" and "bedecken" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "bedanken" or "bedecken"?
Remembering bedanken vs bedecken
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 “bedanken” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable