ein-
[ˈaɪ̯n-]
The verdict
“ein-” is outside the top-ranked German vocabulary, used as a prefix - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency German
- 4
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Wortbildungselement mit der Bedeutung in … hinein, nach innen
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | ein- |
| Language | German |
| Part of speech | Prefix |
| IPA | [ˈaɪ̯n-] |
| Letters | 4 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “ein-” sits in German frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The German entry for ein- is 4 letters long, classified as a prefix, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈaɪ̯n-]. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Zero misspellings are on record for ein- in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.
Our source data has no etymology on file for this entry, so its spelling is best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct German form is ein-, spelled E-I-N--.
Definition
- 1Wortbildungselement mit der Bedeutung in … hinein, nach innen
- 2Wortbildungselement mit der Bedeutung der Veränderung eines Zustandes bis hin zur Zerstörung
- 3Wortbildungselement mit der Betonung der Eindringlichkeit
- 4Wortbildungselement mit der Bedeutung der Einhüllung in etwas
Antonyms
This word in other languages
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
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Using “ein-”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct German spelling is E-I-N-- - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as [ˈaɪ̯n-] (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.