Which to use
“überzeugen” is a verb and “überzeugten” is an adjective - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #2,423
- “überzeugen” frequency rank
- #28,494
- “überzeugten” frequency rank
- 30917
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | überzeugen | überzeugten |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | jemandem die Richtigkeit glaubhaft machen | Genitiv Singular Maskulinum der starken Flexion des Positivs des Adjektivs überzeugt |
Where the eye mixes überzeugen and überzeugten
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 10 letters in sequence. überzeugen runs 10 letters (VCVCCVVCVC) against überzeugten's 11 (VCVCCVVCCVC) - the length gap alone is often enough to separate them once you know to check it.
Why the eye confuses überzeugen with überzeugten
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: überzeugen is [yːbɐˈt͡sɔɪ̯ɡŋ̍] while überzeugten is [yːbɐˈt͡sɔɪ̯ktn̩]. 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 adjective), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 30917, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
überzeugen is recorded at frequency rank #2,423, classified as averb, pronounced [yːbɐˈt͡sɔɪ̯ɡŋ̍]. überzeugten is at rank #28,494, tagged as anadj, pronounced [yːbɐˈt͡sɔɪ̯ktn̩].
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 30917, this pair ranks #1,738,498 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of überzeugen vs überzeugten
Shared letters: begnruzü. Private to "überzeugen": -. Private to "überzeugten": t.
"überzeugen" · 10 letters · shape VCVCCVVCVC · "überzeugten" · 11 letters · shape VCVCCVVCCVC
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "überzeugen" and "überzeugten" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "überzeugen" or "überzeugten"?
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 "überzeugen" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "überzeugten" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,738,498 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "überzeugen" and "überzeugten" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "überzeugten vs überzeugter". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #1,738,498 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.