eigentliche

[ˈaɪ̯ɡn̩tlɪçə]

/[ˈaɪ̯ɡn̩tlɪçə]/ adj

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

The verdict

“eigentliche” is a regularly-used German word, ranked #3,514 in German word frequency and used as an adjective.

#3,514
frequency rank, German
11
letters
16
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Nominativ Singular Femininum Positiv der starken Flexion des Adjektivs eigentlich

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

eigentliche vs eigentlichen
92% similar
eigentliche vs eigentlicher
92% similar
eigentliche vs eigentliches
92% similar

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

Key facts for eigentliche
PropertyValue
Headwordeigentliche
LanguageGerman
Part of speechAdjective
IPA[ˈaɪ̯ɡn̩tlɪçə]
Letters11
Frequency rank#3,514
Misspellings tracked16
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “eigentliche” 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). eigentliche 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 eigentliche is 11 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈaɪ̯ɡn̩tlɪçə]. Corpus data places it at rank #3,514 in overall German word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 11 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 16 likely wrong-spelling variants for eigentliche, with forms such as "egientliche", "eiegntliche", and "eigenltiche". 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 4 confusable-pair relationships, "eigentlichen", "eigentlicher", "eigentliches", 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 its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct German form is eigentliche, spelled E-I-G-E-N-T-L-I-C-H-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Nominativ Singular Femininum Positiv der starken Flexion des Adjektivs eigentlich
  2. 2
    Akkusativ Singular Femininum Positiv der starken Flexion des Adjektivs eigentlich
  3. 3
    Nominativ Plural Positiv der starken Flexion des Adjektivs eigentlich
  4. 4
    Akkusativ Plural Positiv der starken Flexion des Adjektivs eigentlich
  5. 5
    Nominativ Singular Maskulinum Positiv der schwachen Flexion des Adjektivs eigentlich
  6. 6
    Nominativ Singular Femininum Positiv der schwachen Flexion des Adjektivs eigentlich
  7. 7
    Akkusativ Singular Femininum Positiv der schwachen Flexion des Adjektivs eigentlich
  8. 8
    Nominativ Singular Neutrum Positiv der schwachen Flexion des Adjektivs eigentlich
  9. 9
    Akkusativ Singular Neutrum Positiv der schwachen Flexion des Adjektivs eigentlich
  10. 10
    Nominativ Singular Femininum Positiv der gemischten Flexion des Adjektivs eigentlich
  11. 11
    Akkusativ Singular Femininum Positiv der gemischten Flexion des Adjektivs eigentlich

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: egientliche,eiegntliche,eigenltiche,eigenntliche,eigentilche,eigentlcihe,eigentlicche,eigentliceh,eigentlichhe,eigentlihce,eigentlliche,eigenttliche,eigetnliche,eiggentliche,eignetliche,iegentliche

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of eigentliche - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

egientliche2eiegntliche2eigenltiche2eigenntliche1eigentilche2eigentlcihe2eigentlicche1eigentliceh2
Edit distance from "eigentliche"

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 "eigentliche"?
"eigentliche" is spelled E-I-G-E-N-T-L-I-C-H-E. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈaɪ̯ɡn̩tlɪçə].
What does "eigentliche" mean?
As an adjective, "eigentliche" means: Nominativ Singular Femininum Positiv der starken Flexion des Adjektivs eigentlich
What words are commonly confused with "eigentliche"?
"eigentliche" is commonly confused with "eigentlichen", "eigentlicher", "eigentliches". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "eigentliche"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "eigentliche" is [ˈaɪ̯ɡn̩tlɪçə]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "eigentliche" come from?
"eigentliche" is a German word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
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 “eigentliche”

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

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