einfallen

[ˈaɪ̯nˌfalən]

/[ˈaɪ̯nˌfalən]/ verb

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

The verdict

“einfallen” is a regularly-used German word, ranked #6,287 in German word frequency and used as a verb.

#6,287
frequency rank, German
9
letters
11
tracked misspellings
10
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - (unerwünscht oder sogar gewaltsam) eindringen

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

einfallen vs einfällt
67% similar
einfallen vs entfallen
78% similar
einfallen vs Einhalten
67% similar

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

Key facts for einfallen
PropertyValue
Headwordeinfallen
LanguageGerman
Part of speechVerb
IPA[ˈaɪ̯nˌfalən]
Letters9
Frequency rank#6,287
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs10
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “einfallen” 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). einfallen 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 einfallen is 9 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈaɪ̯nˌfalən]. Corpus data places it at rank #6,287 in overall German word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for einfallen, with forms such as "eifnallen", "einafllen", and "einfaleln". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 10 confusable-pair relationships, "einfällt", "entfallen", "Einhalten", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

No explicit etymology string is stored for this entry, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct German form is einfallen, spelled E-I-N-F-A-L-L-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    (unerwünscht oder sogar gewaltsam) eindringen
  2. 2
    sich (plötzlich) an etwas erinnern
  3. 3
    (Syntax wie [2]) sich etwas Neues ausdenken, das einem (spontan) in den Sinn kommt
  4. 4
    in sich zusammenstürzen, in sich zusammenfallen, einstürzen
  5. 5
    abmagern, einsinken
  6. 6
    Abreißen der laminaren Strömung an einem Segel, beginnend am Vorliek; es gibt dann eine charakteristische Beule im Segel
  7. 7
    bei einem Lied, einer Melodie, einem Sprechchor mitmachen, nachdem es begonnen hat
  8. 8
    hereinkommen

Antonyms

abhauenabziehenflüchtenverschwindenvergessen

This word in other languages

intrude(English)invadir(Español)venir à l'esprit(Français)lembrar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: eifnallen,einafllen,einfaleln,einfalen,einfallenn,einfallne,einffallen,einflalen,einnfallen,enifallen,ienfallen

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

eifnallen2einafllen2einfaleln2einfalen1einfallenn1einfallne2einffallen1einflalen2
Edit distance from "einfallen"

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 "einfallen"?
"einfallen" is spelled E-I-N-F-A-L-L-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈaɪ̯nˌfalən].
What does "einfallen" mean?
As a verb, "einfallen" means: (unerwünscht oder sogar gewaltsam) eindringen
What words are commonly confused with "einfallen"?
"einfallen" is commonly confused with "einfällt", "entfallen", "Einhalten". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "einfallen"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "einfallen" is [ˈaɪ̯nˌfalən]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "einfallen" come from?
"einfallen" 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 “einfallen”

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

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