Which to use
“befehlen” and “bezahlen” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #17,525
- “befehlen” frequency rank
- #1,469
- “bezahlen” frequency rank
- 18994
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | befehlen | bezahlen |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | einen bindenden Auftrag erteilen, etwas Bestimmtes genau befolgend auszuführen | jemandem für etwas einen bestimmten Geldbetrag geben |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set befehlen and bezahlen 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. befehlen ([bəˈfeːlən]) and bezahlen ([bəˈt͡saːlən]) 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 18994, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
befehlen is recorded at frequency rank #17,525, classified as averb, pronounced [bəˈfeːlən]. bezahlen is at rank #1,469, tagged as averb, pronounced [bəˈt͡saːlən].
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 18994, this pair ranks #1,912,848 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of befehlen vs bezahlen
Shared letters: behln. Private to "befehlen": f. Private to "bezahlen": az.
"befehlen" · 8 letters · shape CVCVCCVC · "bezahlen" · 8 letters · shape CVCVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "befehlen" and "bezahlen" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "befehlen" or "bezahlen"?
Remembering befehlen vs bezahlen
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 “befehlen” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable