ansetzen

[ˈanˌzɛt͡sn̩]

/[ˈanˌzɛt͡sn̩]/ verb

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

The verdict

“ansetzen” is a moderately-common German word, ranked #13,542 in German word frequency and used as a verb.

#13,542
frequency rank, German
8
letters
12
tracked misspellings
12
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - etwas an etwas anderes anlehnen, etwas zu etwas anderem führen

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

ansetzen vs ansetzt
75% similar
ansetzen vs aussetzen
78% similar
ansetzen vs aufsetzen
78% similar

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

Key facts for ansetzen
PropertyValue
Headwordansetzen
LanguageGerman
Part of speechVerb
IPA[ˈanˌzɛt͡sn̩]
Letters8
Frequency rank#13,542
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs12
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “ansetzen” 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). ansetzen 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 ansetzen is 8 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈanˌzɛt͡sn̩]. Corpus data places it at rank #13,542 in overall German word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 15 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for ansetzen, with forms such as "anestzen", "annsetzen", and "ansetezn". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 12 confusable-pair relationships, "ansetzt", "aussetzen", "aufsetzen", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

This entry's etymology isn't recorded, so any spelling logic here comes from how the word's sounds map to letters, not a documented origin story. The correct German form is ansetzen, spelled A-N-S-E-T-Z-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    etwas an etwas anderes anlehnen, etwas zu etwas anderem führen
  2. 2
    beginnen, Essen zu kochen
  3. 3
    jemanden zu einer Arbeit einsetzen
  4. 4
    einen Spieler dazu abstellen, einen gegnerischen Spieler besonders zu bewachen
  5. 5
    eine Verlängerung / Ergänzung an etwas befestigen / anbauen / annähen (beispielsweise an ein Kleidungsstück)
  6. 6
    Flüssigkeiten / Zutaten mischen
  7. 7
    eine Schicht (an/auf etwas) bilden
  8. 8
    sich entwickeln, sich bilden
  9. 9
    dick werden, zu viel Gewicht zulegen
  10. 10
    beim Kochen am Topfboden kleben und anbrennen
  11. 11
    mit etwas gerade beginnen wollen, sich zu etwas anschicken
  12. 12
    bei einem bestimmten Punkt beginnen; etwas als Ausgangspunkt nehmen; etwas zur Grundlage für etwas machen
  13. 13
    etwas anberaumen (beispielsweise einen Termin, ein Meeting), festlegen (beispielsweise eine Uhrzeit)
  14. 14
    etwas festlegen oder veranschlagen (beispielsweise einen Betrag, einen Wert)
  15. 15
    am Körper an einer bestimmten Stelle angewachsen sein

Antonyms

absetzen

This word in other languages

start(English)préparer(Français)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: anestzen,annsetzen,ansetezn,ansettzen,ansetzenn,ansetzne,ansetzzen,ansezten,anssetzen,anstezen,asnetzen,nasetzen

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

anestzen2annsetzen1ansetezn2ansettzen1ansetzenn1ansetzne2ansetzzen1ansezten2
Edit distance from "ansetzen"

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 "ansetzen"?
"ansetzen" is spelled A-N-S-E-T-Z-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈanˌzɛt͡sn̩].
What does "ansetzen" mean?
As a verb, "ansetzen" means: etwas an etwas anderes anlehnen, etwas zu etwas anderem führen
What words are commonly confused with "ansetzen"?
"ansetzen" is commonly confused with "ansetzt", "aussetzen", "aufsetzen". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "ansetzen"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "ansetzen" is [ˈanˌzɛt͡sn̩]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "ansetzen" come from?
"ansetzen" 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 “ansetzen”

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

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