anstellen

[ˈanˌʃtɛlən]

/[ˈanˌʃtɛlən]/ verb

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

The verdict

“anstellen” is a regularly-used German word, ranked #7,718 in German word frequency and used as a verb.

#7,718
frequency rank, German
9
letters
12
tracked misspellings
14
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - einen Gegenstand an einen anderen anlehnen

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

anstellen vs Anteilen
67% similar
anstellen vs anstellt
78% similar
anstellen vs Antillen
67% similar

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

Key facts for anstellen
PropertyValue
Headwordanstellen
LanguageGerman
Part of speechVerb
IPA[ˈanˌʃtɛlən]
Letters9
Frequency rank#7,718
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs14
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “anstellen” 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). anstellen 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 anstellen is 9 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈanˌʃtɛlən]. Corpus data places it at rank #7,718 in overall German word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 10 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 anstellen, with forms such as "annstellen", "ansetllen", and "ansstellen". 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 14 confusable-pair relationships, "Anteilen", "anstellt", "Antillen", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

No borrowing history is documented for this entry, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct German form is anstellen, spelled A-N-S-T-E-L-L-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    einen Gegenstand an einen anderen anlehnen
  2. 2
    jemandem eine Arbeitsstelle geben
  3. 3
    etwas vollbringen
  4. 4
    bei bestimmten abstrakten Substantiven (immer im Plural) so viel wie tätigen, unternehmen, also die durch das Substantiv ausgedrückte Tätigkeit zur Ausführung bringen
  5. 5
    etwas (oft, aber nicht immer, Schlimmes) mit einer Person oder einem Gegenstand tun, wobei die Person oder der Gegenstand das passive Opfer (oder „Opfer“) ist
  6. 6
    einen Streich spielen, ein Malheur verursachen
  7. 7
    Helvetismus sowie einschalten
  8. 8
    sich einer Warteschlange anschließen
  9. 9
    sich in bestimmter Weise einer Aufgabe beziehungsweise einer Herausforderung stellen
  10. 10
    wehleidig herumjammern; um Schmerzen, Krankheiten und sonstige Beeinträchtigen des Wohlbefindens viel Aufhebens machen

Synonyms

anlehnenbeistelleneinstellenanheuernengagierendingenbewerkstelligenfertigbringenschaffentätigenunternehmenveranstaltenausfressenanrichtenverzapfenanmachenanschaltenanknipseneinschalteneinreihenbenehmenführengebenverhaltenzieren

Antonyms

entlassenabstellenausstellenausmachenausknipsenausschaltendie Zähne zusammenbeißen

This word in other languages

employ(English)apoyar(Español)employer(Français)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: annstellen,ansetllen,ansstellen,ansteleln,anstelen,anstellenn,anstellne,anstlelen,ansttellen,antsellen,asntellen,nastellen

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

annstellen1ansetllen2ansstellen1ansteleln2anstelen1anstellenn1anstellne2anstlelen2
Edit distance from "anstellen"

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 "anstellen"?
"anstellen" is spelled A-N-S-T-E-L-L-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈanˌʃtɛlən].
What does "anstellen" mean?
As a verb, "anstellen" means: einen Gegenstand an einen anderen anlehnen
What words are commonly confused with "anstellen"?
"anstellen" is commonly confused with "Anteilen", "anstellt", "Antillen". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "anstellen"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "anstellen" is [ˈanˌʃtɛlən]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "anstellen" come from?
"anstellen" is a German word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
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 “anstellen”

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

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