ab und an

[ap ʊnt ˈan]

/[ap ʊnt ˈan]/ phrase

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

The verdict

“ab und an” is outside the top-ranked German vocabulary, used as a phrase - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency German
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - nur selten, unregelmäßig

Key facts for ab und an
PropertyValue
Headwordab und an
LanguageGerman
Part of speechPhrase
IPA[ap ʊnt ˈan]
Letters9
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “ab und an” sits in German frequency

ab und an falls outside the top-100,000 ranked German words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The German entry for ab und an is 9 letters long, classified as a phrase, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ap ʊnt ˈan]. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "nur selten, unregelmäßig".

No misspelling variants are generated for ab und an in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular German conventions. Our dataset records no confusable match here, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

No explicit etymology string is stored for this entry, so its spelling is best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct German form is ab und an, spelled A-B- -U-N-D- -A-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    nur selten, unregelmäßig

Synonyms

gelegentlichmanchmalmitunterab und zudann und wannhin und wiedervon Zeit zu Zeit

Antonyms

häufigoftregelmäßignieniemals

This word in other languages

now and then(English)de temps en temps(Français)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "ab und an"?
"ab und an" is spelled A-B- -U-N-D- -A-N. The IPA pronunciation is [ap ʊnt ˈan].
What does "ab und an" mean?
As a phrase, "ab und an" means: nur selten, unregelmäßig
How do you pronounce "ab und an"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "ab und an" is [ap ʊnt ˈan]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "ab und an" come from?
"ab und an" is a German word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
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 “ab und an”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is A-B- -U-N-D- -A-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ap ʊnt ˈan] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • 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