erstmalig

[ˈeːɐ̯stmaːlɪç]

/[ˈeːɐ̯stmaːlɪç]/ adj

The verdict

“erstmalig” is a moderately-common German word, ranked #14,796 in German word frequency and used as an adjective.

#14,796
frequency rank, German
9
letters
14
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - nicht vorher gewesen; niemals vorher stattgefunden habend

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

erstmalig vs erstmals
78% similar
erstmalig vs erstmalige
90% similar
erstmalig vs erstmaligen
82% similar

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

Key facts for erstmalig
PropertyValue
Headworderstmalig
LanguageGerman
Part of speechAdjective
IPA[ˈeːɐ̯stmaːlɪç]
Letters9
Frequency rank#14,796
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “erstmalig” 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). erstmalig 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 erstmalig is 9 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈeːɐ̯stmaːlɪç]. Corpus data places it at rank #14,796 in overall German word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for erstmalig, with forms such as "errstmalig", "ersmtalig", and "ersstmalig". 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 4 confusable-pair relationships, "erstmals", "erstmalige", "erstmaligen", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Our source data has no etymology on file for this entry, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct German form is erstmalig, spelled E-R-S-T-M-A-L-I-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    nicht vorher gewesen; niemals vorher stattgefunden habend
  2. 2
    zum ersten Mal

Synonyms

Antonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: errstmalig,ersmtalig,ersstmalig,erstamlig,erstmailg,erstmalgi,erstmaligg,erstmallig,erstmlaig,erstmmalig,ersttmalig,ertsmalig,esrtmalig,restmalig

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of erstmalig - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

errstmalig1ersmtalig2ersstmalig1erstamlig2erstmailg2erstmalgi2erstmaligg1erstmallig1
Edit distance from "erstmalig"

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 "erstmalig"?
"erstmalig" is spelled E-R-S-T-M-A-L-I-G. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈeːɐ̯stmaːlɪç].
What does "erstmalig" mean?
As an adjective, "erstmalig" means: nicht vorher gewesen; niemals vorher stattgefunden habend
What words are commonly confused with "erstmalig"?
"erstmalig" is commonly confused with "erstmals", "erstmalige", "erstmaligen". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "erstmalig"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "erstmalig" is [ˈeːɐ̯stmaːlɪç]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "erstmalig" come from?
"erstmalig" 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 “erstmalig”

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

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