Which to use
“befallen” is an adjective and “befolgen” is a verb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #18,489
- “befallen” frequency rank
- #14,749
- “befolgen” frequency rank
- 33238
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | befallen | befolgen |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | von etwas betroffen | (einen Befehl) ausführen |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set befallen and befolgen apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: befallen is [bəˈfalən] while befolgen is [bəˈfɔlɡn̩]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions, and the parts of speech differ too (adjective vs verb), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 33238, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
befallen is recorded at frequency rank #18,489, classified as anadj, pronounced [bəˈfalən]. befolgen is at rank #14,749, tagged as averb, pronounced [bəˈfɔlɡn̩].
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 33238, this pair ranks #1,690,332 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of befallen vs befolgen
Shared letters: befln. Private to "befallen": a. Private to "befolgen": go.
"befallen" · 8 letters · shape CVCVCCVC · "befolgen" · 8 letters · shape CVCVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "befallen" and "befolgen" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "befallen" or "befolgen"?
Remembering befallen vs befolgen
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need an adjective, it's “befallen”; for a verb, it's “befolgen”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “befallen” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable