Which to use
“verhängen” and “versagen” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #27,545
- “verhängen” frequency rank
- #6,119
- “versagen” frequency rank
- 33664
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | verhängen | versagen |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | etwas mit einem Tuch oder dergleichen zuhängen, verbergen | nicht so funktionieren, wie es geplant war oder üblich ist |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set verhängen and versagen apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. verhängen ([fɛɐ̯ˈhɛŋən]) and versagen ([fɛɐ̯ˈzaːɡn̩]) 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 33664, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
verhängen is recorded at frequency rank #27,545, classified as averb, pronounced [fɛɐ̯ˈhɛŋən]. versagen is at rank #6,119, tagged as averb, pronounced [fɛɐ̯ˈzaːɡn̩].
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 33664, this pair ranks #1,680,784 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of verhängen vs versagen
Shared letters: egnrv. Private to "verhängen": hä. Private to "versagen": as.
"verhängen" · 9 letters · shape CVCCVCCVC · "versagen" · 8 letters · shape CVCCVCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
- versagen ← evrsagen · verasgen · verrsagen · versaegn · versagenn · versaggen · versagne · versgaen
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "verhängen" and "versagen" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "verhängen" or "versagen"?
Remembering verhängen vs versagen
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 “verhängen” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable