Which to use
“überzeugen” is a verb and “Überzeugung” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #2,423
- “überzeugen” frequency rank
- #5,054
- “Überzeugung” frequency rank
- 7477
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | überzeugen | Überzeugung |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | jemandem die Richtigkeit glaubhaft machen | gefestigter Glaube, feste Gewissheit, dass etwas richtig ist |
Where the eye mixes überzeugen and Überzeugung
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 9 letters in sequence. überzeugen runs 10 letters (VCVCCVVCVC) against Überzeugung's 11 (VCVCCVVCVCC) - the length gap alone is often enough to separate them once you know to check it.
Why the eye confuses überzeugen with Überzeugung
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: überzeugen is [yːbɐˈt͡sɔɪ̯ɡŋ̍] while Überzeugung is [yːbɐˈt͡sɔɪ̯ɡʊŋ]. 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 7477, 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]. Überzeugung is at rank #5,054, tagged as anoun, pronounced [yːbɐˈt͡sɔɪ̯ɡʊŋ].
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 7477, this pair ranks #1,988,014 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of überzeugen vs Überzeugung
Shared letters: begnruzü. Private to "überzeugen": -. Private to "Überzeugung": -.
"überzeugen" · 10 letters · shape VCVCCVVCVC · "Überzeugung" · 11 letters · shape VCVCCVVCVCC
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "überzeugen" and "Überzeugung" be used interchangeably?
Frequency check: "überzeugen" vs "Überzeugung" - which ranks higher?
Useful next steps
Eye-level mix-up between "überzeugen" and "Überzeugung" is sorted above. Next: full entries or other pairs that share a letter shape.
- Full dictionary entry for "überzeugen" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "Überzeugung" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,988,014 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "überzeugen" and "Überzeugung" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "überzeugen vs überzeugter". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #1,988,014 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.