bezahlvsbezahlenWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#30,481
“bezahl” frequency rank
#1,469
“bezahlen” frequency rank
31950
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature bezahl bezahlen
Definition 2. Person Singular Imperativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs bezahlen jemandem für etwas einen bestimmten Geldbetrag geben

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set bezahl and bezahlen apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

6 ch
bezahl
8 ch
bezahlen

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

bezahl and bezahlen form a confusable pair in the German index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They differ by 2 extra letter(s) - “bezahl” sits inside “bezahlen” - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 31950, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

bezahl is recorded at frequency rank #30,481, classified as averb, pronounced [bəˈt͡saːl]. 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 31950, this pair ranks #1,717,817 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Frequency comparison

bezahl#30,481
bezahlen#1,469

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "bezahl" and "bezahlen" be used interchangeably?
No, "bezahl" and "bezahlen" have distinct meanings and cannot be swapped without changing the meaning of a sentence. Understanding the specific definition and context for each word is essential for correct usage.

Remembering bezahl 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 “bezahl” 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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list