Which to use
“betätigen” and “betätigt” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #19,157
- “betätigen” frequency rank
- #21,194
- “betätigt” frequency rank
- 40351
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | betätigen | betätigt |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | etwas benutzen, um etwas in Gang zu setzen | Partizip Perfekt des Verbs betätigen |
Where the eye mixes betätigen and betätigt
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 7 letters in sequence. betätigen runs 9 letters (CVCVCVCVC) against betätigt's 8 (CVCVCVCC) - the length gap alone is often enough to separate them once you know to check it.
Visual trap between betätigen and betätigt
A purely visual mix-up. betätigen ([bəˈtɛːtɪɡn̩]) 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 40351, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
betätigen is recorded at frequency rank #19,157, classified as averb, pronounced [bəˈtɛːtɪɡn̩]. 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 40351, this pair ranks #1,511,007 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of betätigen vs betätigt
Shared letters: begitä. Private to "betätigen": n. Private to "betätigt": -.
"betätigen" · 9 letters · shape CVCVCVCVC · "betätigt" · 8 letters · shape CVCVCVCC
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "betätigen" for "betätigt" ever safe?
Which is more common, "betätigen" or "betätigt"?
After this comparison
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "betätigen" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "betätigt" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,511,007 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "betätigen" and "betätigt" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "betätigt vs betätigte". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #1,511,007 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.