Which to use
“verfehlen” and “versehen” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #26,213
- “verfehlen” frequency rank
- #2,566
- “versehen” frequency rank
- 28779
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | verfehlen | versehen |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | ein Ziel nicht treffen, nicht erreichen | jemanden oder etwas mit etwas ausstatten |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set verfehlen and versehen apart are highlighted. They share 7 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. verfehlen ([fɛɐ̯ˈfeːlən]) and versehen ([fɛɐ̯ˈzeːən]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 28779, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
verfehlen is recorded at frequency rank #26,213, classified as averb, pronounced [fɛɐ̯ˈfeːlən]. versehen is at rank #2,566, tagged as averb, pronounced [fɛɐ̯ˈzeːən].
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 28779, this pair ranks #1,778,760 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of verfehlen vs versehen
Shared letters: ehnrv. Private to "verfehlen": fl. Private to "versehen": s.
"verfehlen" · 9 letters · shape CVCCVCCVC · "versehen" · 8 letters · shape CVCCVCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "verfehlen" and "versehen" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "verfehlen" or "versehen"?
Remembering verfehlen vs versehen
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 “verfehlen” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable