alten

[ˈaltn̩]

/[ˈaltn̩]/ adj

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

The verdict

“alten” is in the everyday core of German, ranked #416 in German word frequency and used as an adjective.

#416
frequency rank, German
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Genitiv Singular Maskulinum der starken Flexion des Adjektivs alt

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

alten vs Atem
40% similar
alten vs arte
60% similar
alten vs amen
60% similar

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

Key facts for alten
PropertyValue
Headwordalten
LanguageGerman
Part of speechAdjective
IPA[ˈaltn̩]
Letters5
Frequency rank#416
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “alten” 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). alten 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 alten is 5 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈaltn̩]. Corpus data places it at rank #416 in overall German word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 20 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for alten, with forms such as "aletn", "allten", and "altenn". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "Atem", "arte", "amen", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Our source data has no etymology on file for this entry, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct German form is alten, spelled A-L-T-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Genitiv Singular Maskulinum der starken Flexion des Adjektivs alt
  2. 2
    Akkusativ Singular Maskulinum der starken Flexion des Adjektivs alt
  3. 3
    Genitiv Singular Neutrum der starken Flexion des Adjektivs alt
  4. 4
    Dativ Plural der starken Flexion des Adjektivs alt
  5. 5
    Genitiv Singular Maskulinum der schwachen Flexion des Adjektivs alt
  6. 6
    Dativ Singular Maskulinum der schwachen Flexion des Adjektivs alt
  7. 7
    Akkusativ Singular Maskulinum der schwachen Flexion des Adjektivs alt
  8. 8
    Genitiv Singular Femininum der schwachen Flexion des Adjektivs alt
  9. 9
    Dativ Singular Femininum der schwachen Flexion des Adjektivs alt
  10. 10
    Genitiv Singular Neutrum der schwachen Flexion des Adjektivs alt
  11. 11
    Dativ Singular Neutrum der schwachen Flexion des Adjektivs alt
  12. 12
    Plural der schwachen Flexion des Adjektivs alt
  13. 13
    Genitiv Singular Maskulinum der gemischten Flexion des Adjektivs alt
  14. 14
    Dativ Singular Maskulinum der gemischten Flexion des Adjektivs alt
  15. 15
    Akkusativ Singular Maskulinum der gemischten Flexion des Adjektivs alt
  16. 16
    Genitiv Singular Femininum der gemischten Flexion des Adjektivs alt
  17. 17
    Dativ Singular Femininum der gemischten Flexion des Adjektivs alt
  18. 18
    Genitiv Singular Neutrum der gemischten Flexion des Adjektivs alt
  19. 19
    Dativ Singular Neutrum der gemischten Flexion des Adjektivs alt
  20. 20
    Plural der gemischten Flexion des Adjektivs alt

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: aletn,allten,altenn,altne,altten,atlen,laten

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of alten - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

aletn2allten1altenn1altne2altten1atlen2laten2
Edit distance from "alten"

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 "alten"?
"alten" is spelled A-L-T-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈaltn̩].
What does "alten" mean?
As an adjective, "alten" means: Genitiv Singular Maskulinum der starken Flexion des Adjektivs alt
What words are commonly confused with "alten"?
"alten" is commonly confused with "Atem", "arte", "amen". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "alten"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "alten" is [ˈaltn̩]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "alten" come from?
"alten" 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 “alten”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is A-L-T-E-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈaltn̩] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Atem” - see the side-by-side comparison. alten vs Atem
  • 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