genesenvsgenügenWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#28,678
“genesen” frequency rank
#10,479
“genügen” frequency rank
39157
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature genesen genügen
Definition wieder gesund werden für einen bestimmten Zweck in ausreichendem Maß zur Verfügung stehen

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set genesen and genügen apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

7 ch
genesen
7 ch
genügen

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. genesen ([ɡəˈneːzn̩]) and genügen ([ɡəˈnyːɡn̩]) 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 39157, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

genesen is recorded at frequency rank #28,678, classified as averb, pronounced [ɡəˈneːzn̩]. genügen is at rank #10,479, tagged as averb, pronounced [ɡəˈnyːɡn̩].

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 39157, this pair ranks #1,544,553 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of genesen vs genügen

Shared letters: egn. Private to "genesen": s. Private to "genügen": ü.

"genesen" · 7 letters · shape CVCVCVC  ·  "genügen" · 7 letters · shape CVCVCVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • genesenegnesen · geensen · geneesn · genesenn · genesne · genessen · gennesen · genseen

Frequency comparison

genesen#28,678
genügen#10,479

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "genesen" and "genügen" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ɡəˈneːzn̩] versus [ɡəˈnyːɡn̩]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "genesen" or "genügen"?
"genügen" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #10,479 in our German list, against #28,678 for "genesen". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering genesen vs genügen

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 “genesen” 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