Which to use
“Vergeltung” and “Vergütung” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #18,424
- “Vergeltung” frequency rank
- #12,193
- “Vergütung” frequency rank
- 30617
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Vergeltung | Vergütung |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Strafe, Genugtuung für eine (meist negative) Handlung | Geldsumme, mit der etwas vergütet wird; zum Beispiel Geld als Gegenleistung für eine Arbeit, Ware, Entschädigung oder ein Nutzungsrecht |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Vergeltung and Vergütung apart are highlighted. They share 8 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. Vergeltung ([fɛɐ̯ˈɡɛltʊŋ]) and Vergütung ([fɛɐ̯ˈɡyːtʊŋ]) 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 30617, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Vergeltung is recorded at frequency rank #18,424, classified as anoun, pronounced [fɛɐ̯ˈɡɛltʊŋ]. Vergütung is at rank #12,193, tagged as anoun, pronounced [fɛɐ̯ˈɡyːtʊŋ].
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 30617, this pair ranks #1,744,347 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of Vergeltung vs Vergütung
Shared letters: egnrtuv. Private to "Vergeltung": l. Private to "Vergütung": ü.
"Vergeltung" · 10 letters · shape CVCCVCCVCC · "Vergütung" · 9 letters · shape CVCCVCVCC
Known mistypes of this pair
- Vergeltung ← evrgeltung · vegreltung · veregltung · vergelltung · vergeltnug · vergelttung · vergeltugn · vergeltungg
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "Vergeltung" and "Vergütung" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "Vergeltung" or "Vergütung"?
Remembering Vergeltung vs Vergütung
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 “Vergeltung” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable