Which to use
“verfolgen” is a verb and “Verfolgung” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #2,795
- “verfolgen” frequency rank
- #4,945
- “Verfolgung” frequency rank
- 7740
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | verfolgen | Verfolgung |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | jemandem hinterher fahren oder gehen, eventuell um ihn einzuholen; jemandem auf den Fersen sein | das Nachstellen, zum Beispiel um etwas zu beobachten, einzuholen oder zu ergreifen |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set verfolgen and Verfolgung apart are highlighted. They share 8 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
verfolgen and Verfolgung form a confusable pair in the German index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They differ by 1 letter(s) in length - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 7740, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
verfolgen is recorded at frequency rank #2,795, classified as averb, pronounced [fɛɐ̯ˈfɔlɡn̩]. Verfolgung is at rank #4,945, tagged as anoun, pronounced [fɛɐ̯ˈfɔlɡʊŋ].
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 7740, this pair ranks #1,987,063 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "verfolgen" and "Verfolgung" be used interchangeably?
Remembering verfolgen vs Verfolgung
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “verfolgen”; for a noun, it's “Verfolgung”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “verfolgen” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable