bestätigtvsbetätigtWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#1,542
“bestätigt” frequency rank
#21,194
“betätigt” frequency rank
22736
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature bestätigt betätigt
Definition Partizip Perfekt des Verbs bestätigen Partizip Perfekt des Verbs betätigen

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set bestätigt and betätigt apart are highlighted. They share 8 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

9 ch
bestätigt
8 ch
betätigt

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. bestätigt ([bəˈʃtɛːtɪçt]) and betätigt ([bəˈtɛːtɪçt]) 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 22736, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

bestätigt is recorded at frequency rank #1,542, classified as averb, pronounced [bəˈʃtɛːtɪçt]. betätigt is at rank #21,194, tagged as averb, pronounced [bəˈtɛːtɪçt].

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 22736, this pair ranks #1,870,409 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of bestätigt vs betätigt

Shared letters: begitä. Private to "bestätigt": s. Private to "betätigt": -.

"bestätigt" · 9 letters · shape CVCCVCVCC  ·  "betätigt" · 8 letters · shape CVCVCVCC

Frequency comparison

bestätigt#1,542
betätigt#21,194

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "bestätigt" and "betätigt" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([bəˈʃtɛːtɪçt] versus [bəˈtɛːtɪçt]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "bestätigt" or "betätigt"?
"bestätigt" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #1,542 in our German list, against #21,194 for "betätigt". That is a wide gap, so in ordinary text the rarer spelling is the one worth double-checking.

Remembering bestätigt vs betätigt

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 “bestätigt” 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