Which to use
“zergehen” and “zerlegen” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #46,418
- “zergehen” frequency rank
- #21,132
- “zerlegen” frequency rank
- 67550
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | zergehen | zerlegen |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | vom festen in den flüssigen Zustand übergehen | etwas in seine Komponenten aufteilen, in seine Einzelteile auflösen |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set zergehen and zerlegen 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. zergehen ([t͡sɛɐ̯ˈɡeːən]) and zerlegen ([ˌt͡sɛɐ̯ˈleːɡn̩]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 67550, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
zergehen is recorded at frequency rank #46,418, classified as averb, pronounced [t͡sɛɐ̯ˈɡeːən]. zerlegen is at rank #21,132, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˌt͡sɛɐ̯ˈleːɡn̩].
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 67550, this pair ranks #536,478 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of zergehen vs zerlegen
Shared letters: egnrz. Private to "zergehen": h. Private to "zerlegen": l.
"zergehen" · 8 letters · shape CVCCVCVC · "zerlegen" · 8 letters · shape CVCCVCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "zergehen" and "zerlegen" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "zergehen" or "zerlegen"?
Remembering zergehen vs zerlegen
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 “zergehen” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable