behältvsbezahltWhat's the difference?

Which to use

“behält” and “bezahlt” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#8,031
“behält” frequency rank
#1,623
“bezahlt” frequency rank
9654
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature behält bezahlt
Definition 3. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs behalten Partizip Perfekt des Verbs bezahlen

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set behält and bezahlt apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

6 ch
behält
7 ch
bezahlt

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. behält ([bəˈhɛlt]) and bezahlt ([bəˈt͡saːlt]) 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 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 9654, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

behält is recorded at frequency rank #8,031, classified as averb, pronounced [bəˈhɛlt]. bezahlt is at rank #1,623, tagged as averb, pronounced [bəˈt͡saːlt].

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 9654, this pair ranks #1,978,931 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of behält vs bezahlt

Shared letters: behlt. Private to "behält": ä. Private to "bezahlt": az.

"behält" · 6 letters · shape CVCVCC  ·  "bezahlt" · 7 letters · shape CVCVCCC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • bezahltbbezahlt · beazhlt · bezahhlt · bezahllt · bezahltt · bezahtl · bezalht · bezhalt

Frequency comparison

behält#8,031
bezahlt#1,623

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "behält" and "bezahlt" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([bəˈhɛlt] versus [bəˈt͡saːlt]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "behält" or "bezahlt"?
"bezahlt" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #1,623 in our German list, against #8,031 for "behält". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering behält vs bezahlt

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 “behält” entry
  • Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list