conditio sine qua non

[kɔnˈdiːt͡si̯o ˈziːnə kvaː noːn]

/[kɔnˈdiːt͡si̯o ˈziːnə kvaː noːn]/ phrase

The verdict

“conditio sine qua non” 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
21
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - notwendige Bedingung; Forderung, die unerlässlich ist

Key facts for conditio sine qua non
PropertyValue
Headwordconditio sine qua non
LanguageGerman
Part of speechPhrase
IPA[kɔnˈdiːt͡si̯o ˈziːnə kvaː noːn]
Letters21
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “conditio sine qua non” sits in German frequency

conditio sine qua non 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 conditio sine qua non is 21 letters long, classified as a phrase, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [kɔnˈdiːt͡si̯o ˈziːnə kvaː noːn]. 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: "notwendige Bedingung; Forderung, die unerlässlich ist".

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for conditio sine qua non, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct German form is conditio sine qua non, spelled C-O-N-D-I-T-I-O- -S-I-N-E- -Q-U-A- -N-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    notwendige Bedingung; Forderung, die unerlässlich ist

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 "conditio sine qua non"?
"conditio sine qua non" is spelled C-O-N-D-I-T-I-O- -S-I-N-E- -Q-U-A- -N-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is [kɔnˈdiːt͡si̯o ˈziːnə kvaː noːn].
What does "conditio sine qua non" mean?
As a phrase, "conditio sine qua non" means: notwendige Bedingung; Forderung, die unerlässlich ist
How do you pronounce "conditio sine qua non"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "conditio sine qua non" is [kɔnˈdiːt͡si̯o ˈziːnə kvaː noːn]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "conditio sine qua non" come from?
"conditio sine qua non" 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 “conditio sine qua non”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is C-O-N-D-I-T-I-O- -S-I-N-E- -Q-U-A- -N-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [kɔnˈdiːt͡si̯o ˈziːnə kvaː noːn] (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