Which to use
“Entschädigung” and “Entschuldigung” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #7,906
- “Entschädigung” frequency rank
- #4,115
- “Entschuldigung” frequency rank
- 12021
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Entschädigung | Entschuldigung |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Leistung als Ausgleich für einen zugefügten Schaden | Äußerung des Bedauerns über einen eigenen Fehler |
Where the eye mixes Entschädigung and Entschuldigung
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 12 letters in sequence. Entschädigung runs 13 letters (VCCCCCVCVCVCC) against Entschuldigung's 14 (VCCCCCVCCVCVCC) - the length gap alone is often enough to separate them once you know to check it.
Visual trap between Entschädigung and Entschuldigung
A purely visual mix-up. Entschädigung ([ɛntˈʃɛːdɪɡʊŋ]) and Entschuldigung ([ɛntˈʃʊldɪɡʊŋ]) 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 12021, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Entschädigung is recorded at frequency rank #7,906, classified as anoun, pronounced [ɛntˈʃɛːdɪɡʊŋ]. Entschuldigung is at rank #4,115, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ɛntˈʃʊldɪɡʊŋ].
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 12021, this pair ranks #1,966,627 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of Entschädigung vs Entschuldigung
Shared letters: cdeghinstu. Private to "Entschädigung": ä. Private to "Entschuldigung": l.
"Entschädigung" · 13 letters · shape VCCCCCVCVCVCC · "Entschuldigung" · 14 letters · shape VCCCCCVCCVCVCC
Known mistypes of this pair
- Entschuldigung ← enntschuldigung · enstchuldigung · entcshuldigung · entscchuldigung · entschhuldigung · entschludigung · entschudligung · entschulddigung
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "Entschädigung" for "Entschuldigung" ever safe?
Frequency check: "Entschädigung" vs "Entschuldigung" - which ranks higher?
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 "Entschädigung" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "Entschuldigung" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,966,627 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "Entschädigung" and "Entschuldigung" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "Entschuldigung vs Entschuldigungen". Nearby pair
- Recorded mistypes exist for at least one side of this pair, useful when a spell-checker or OCR lands on the wrong form. See mistypes
Confusion rank #1,966,627 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.