Which to use
“erfolgen” and “erfüllen” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #2,589
- “erfolgen” frequency rank
- #2,709
- “erfüllen” frequency rank
- 5298
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | erfolgen | erfüllen |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | stattfinden, sich ereignen, getan werden (der Inhalt des Tuns steckt im Subjekt des Satzes) | die Gedanken beherrschen, starke Gefühle auslösen |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set erfolgen and erfüllen apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. erfolgen ([ɛɐ̯ˈfɔlɡn̩]) and erfüllen ([ɛɐ̯ˈfʏlən]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 5298, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
erfolgen is recorded at frequency rank #2,589, classified as averb, pronounced [ɛɐ̯ˈfɔlɡn̩]. erfüllen is at rank #2,709, tagged as averb, pronounced [ɛɐ̯ˈfʏlən].
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 5298, this pair ranks #1,995,206 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of erfolgen vs erfüllen
Shared letters: eflnr. Private to "erfolgen": go. Private to "erfüllen": ü.
"erfolgen" · 8 letters · shape VCCVCCVC · "erfüllen" · 8 letters · shape VCCVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
- erfolgen ← efrolgen · erffolgen · erflogen · erfoglen · erfolegn · erfolgenn · erfolggen · erfolgne
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "erfolgen" and "erfüllen" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "erfolgen" or "erfüllen"?
Remembering erfolgen vs erfüllen
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 “erfolgen” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable