verfolgen

[fɛɐ̯ˈfɔlɡn̩]

/[fɛɐ̯ˈfɔlɡn̩]/ verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

The verdict

“verfolgen” is a regularly-used German word, ranked #2,795 in German word frequency and used as a verb.

#2,795
frequency rank, German
9
letters
13
tracked misspellings
17
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - jemandem hinterher fahren oder gehen, eventuell um ihn einzuholen; jemandem auf den Fersen sein

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

verfolgen vs verfolgt
78% similar
verfolgen vs Vermögen
56% similar
verfolgen vs verfügen
78% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for verfolgen
PropertyValue
Headwordverfolgen
LanguageGerman
Part of speechVerb
IPA[fɛɐ̯ˈfɔlɡn̩]
Letters9
Frequency rank#2,795
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs17
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “verfolgen” sits in German frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). verfolgen lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The German entry for verfolgen is 9 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [fɛɐ̯ˈfɔlɡn̩]. Corpus data places it at rank #2,795 in overall German word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for verfolgen, with forms such as "evrfolgen", "vefrolgen", and "verffolgen". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 17 confusable-pair relationships, "verfolgt", "Vermögen", "verfügen", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

No explicit etymology string is stored for this entry, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct German form is verfolgen, spelled V-E-R-F-O-L-G-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    jemandem hinterher fahren oder gehen, eventuell um ihn einzuholen; jemandem auf den Fersen sein
  2. 2
    durch konsequentes Bemühen zu erreichen suchen
  3. 3
    in seinen Freiheiten beschränken, seiner Existenzgrundlage berauben
  4. 4
    aufdringlich belästigen
  5. 5
    aufmerksam im Blick behalten
  6. 6
    als Tatbestand behandeln

Antonyms

fliehenmeidenfördernhelfenunterstützenignorierenniederlegen

This word in other languages

follow(English)perseguir(Español)poursuivre(Français)seguir(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: evrfolgen,vefrolgen,verffolgen,verfoglen,verfolegn,verfolgenn,verfolggen,verfolgne,verfollgen,veroflgen,verrfolgen,vrefolgen,vverfolgen

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of verfolgen - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

evrfolgen2vefrolgen2verffolgen1verfoglen2verfolegn2verfolgenn1verfolggen1verfolgne2
Edit distance from "verfolgen"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 German corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "verfolgen"?
"verfolgen" is spelled V-E-R-F-O-L-G-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is [fɛɐ̯ˈfɔlɡn̩].
What does "verfolgen" mean?
As a verb, "verfolgen" means: jemandem hinterher fahren oder gehen, eventuell um ihn einzuholen; jemandem auf den Fersen sein
What words are commonly confused with "verfolgen"?
"verfolgen" is commonly confused with "verfolgt", "Vermögen", "verfügen". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "verfolgen"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "verfolgen" is [fɛɐ̯ˈfɔlɡn̩]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "verfolgen" come from?
"verfolgen" is a German word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “verfolgen”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct German spelling is V-E-R-F-O-L-G-E-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [fɛɐ̯ˈfɔlɡn̩] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “verfolgt” - see the side-by-side comparison. verfolgen vs verfolgt
  • Browse more German words and confusable pairs in the same reference. German words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list