Which to use
“Belästigung” and “Betätigung” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #15,307
- “Belästigung” frequency rank
- #17,832
- “Betätigung” frequency rank
- 33139
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Belästigung | Betätigung |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | nachhaltiges Einwirken auf Personen, was als unangenehm empfunden wird | Beschäftigung/Befassung mit einer bestimmten Aufgabe |
Where the eye mixes Belästigung and Betätigung
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 9 letters in sequence. Belästigung runs 11 letters (CVCVCCVCVCC) against Betätigung's 10 (CVCVCVCVCC) - the length gap alone is often enough to separate them once you know to check it.
Visual trap between Belästigung and Betätigung
A purely visual mix-up. Belästigung ([bəˈlɛstɪɡʊŋ]) and Betätigung ([bəˈtɛːtɪɡʊŋ]) 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 33139, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Belästigung is recorded at frequency rank #15,307, classified as anoun, pronounced [bəˈlɛstɪɡʊŋ]. Betätigung is at rank #17,832, tagged as anoun, pronounced [bəˈtɛːtɪɡʊŋ].
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 33139, this pair ranks #1,692,450 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of Belästigung vs Betätigung
Shared letters: begintuä. Private to "Belästigung": ls. Private to "Betätigung": -.
"Belästigung" · 11 letters · shape CVCVCCVCVCC · "Betätigung" · 10 letters · shape CVCVCVCVCC
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "Belästigung" for "Betätigung" ever safe?
Which is more common, "Belästigung" or "Betätigung"?
What to do next
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "Belästigung" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "Betätigung" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,692,450 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "Belästigung" and "Betätigung" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "Belästigung vs Belustigung". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #1,692,450 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.