Which to use
“ermutigen” is a verb and “Ermutigung” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #23,114
- “ermutigen” frequency rank
- #42,469
- “Ermutigung” frequency rank
- 65583
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | ermutigen | Ermutigung |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | jemandem zureden, etwas zu tun | Versuch, jemandem mehr Freude, Mut zu geben |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set ermutigen and Ermutigung apart are highlighted. They share 8 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: ermutigen is [ɛɐ̯ˈmuːtɪɡn̩] while Ermutigung is [ɛɐ̯ˈmuːtɪɡʊŋ]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (verb vs noun), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 65583, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
ermutigen is recorded at frequency rank #23,114, classified as averb, pronounced [ɛɐ̯ˈmuːtɪɡn̩]. Ermutigung is at rank #42,469, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ɛɐ̯ˈmuːtɪɡʊŋ].
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 65583, this pair ranks #601,824 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of ermutigen vs Ermutigung
Shared letters: egimnrtu. Private to "ermutigen": -. Private to "Ermutigung": -.
"ermutigen" · 9 letters · shape VCCVCVCVC · "Ermutigung" · 10 letters · shape VCCVCVCVCC
Known mistypes of this pair
- ermutigen ← emrutigen · ermmutigen · ermtuigen · ermuitgen · ermutgien · ermutiegn · ermutigenn · ermutiggen
- Ermutigung ← emrutigung · ermmutigung · ermtuigung · ermuitgung · ermutgiung · ermutiggung · ermutignug · ermutigugn
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "ermutigen" and "Ermutigung" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "ermutigen" or "Ermutigung"?
Remembering ermutigen vs Ermutigung
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “ermutigen”; for a noun, it's “Ermutigung”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “ermutigen” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable