folgen

[ˈfɔlɡn̩]

/[ˈfɔlɡn̩]/ verb

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

The verdict

“folgen” has 8 generated spelling variants in the German index at frequency #566. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#566
frequency rank, German
3,474
“F” headwords
8
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - jemandem oder etwas hinterhergehen oder auch hinterherfahren

Corpus desk

Index DE-folgen · folgen · German

folgen · rank #566 · 8 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-CORE #566
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 8 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,474
  • PHOTO-FINISH Entwicklung

Nearest frequency peer: Entwicklung (-1 rank slots)

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Frequency neighbourhood for “folgen”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “folgen” sits against the nearest ranked German headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

folgen vs folgt
67% similar
folgen vs Foren
50% similar
folgen vs fügen
67% similar

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

Key facts for folgen
PropertyValue
Headwordfolgen
LanguageGerman
Part of speechVerb
IPA[ˈfɔlɡn̩]
Letters6
Frequency rank#566
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “folgen” 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). folgen lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 8 spelling variants around folgen (IPA [ˈfɔlɡn̩]), averb. Corpus frequency is #566 among 3,474 “F” headwords. Wiktionary lists 7 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for folgen, with forms such as "ffolgen", "foglen", and "folegn". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "folgt", "Foren", "fügen", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

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 folgen, spelled F-O-L-G-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    jemandem oder etwas hinterhergehen oder auch hinterherfahren
  2. 2
    jemandem oder etwas hinterherblicken
  3. 3
    gedanklich nachvollziehen
  4. 4
    sich logisch – oder sonst argumentativ – ergeben, kausale Folge sein
  5. 5
    in einer linearen Anordnung das nächste Element sein (dies kann zeitlich, räumlich oder logisch begründet sein)
  6. 6
    sich nach etwas richten, diesem nachgeben
  7. 7
    einer Aufforderung oder einem Befehl nachkommen

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how folgen appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Sie ist mir bis zum Bahnhof gefolgt.
  2. Der Hund folgt ihm auf Schritt und Tritt.

Antonyms

führenvorangehenvorgehen

This word in other languages

follow(English)seguir(Español)s'ensuivre(Français)seguir(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ffolgen
  • foglen
  • folegn
  • folgenn
  • folggen
  • folgne
  • follgen
  • oflgen

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ffolgen1foglen2folegn2folgenn1folggen1folgne2follgen1oflgen2
Edit distance from "folgen"

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.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 3, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "folgen"?
"folgen" is spelled F-O-L-G-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈfɔlɡn̩].
What does "folgen" mean?
As a verb, "folgen" means: jemandem oder etwas hinterhergehen oder auch hinterherfahren
What words are commonly confused with "folgen"?
"folgen" is commonly confused with "folgt", "Foren", "fügen". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "folgen"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "folgen" is [ˈfɔlɡn̩]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "folgen" come from?
"folgen" 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.

Similar German words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "folgen", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked German headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

helfen#569kosten#570obwohl#572suchen#574

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (8 here; floor ≥5).

Angst8 variantsliegen8 variantskeiner8 variantsKlasse8 variants

What to do next

You've looked up "folgen". Here's where to go from here.

  • "folgen" maps to 20 confusable pairs in this vintage; the highest-scored is "folgt". View pair
  • 8 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #566 among German headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more German words in the "F" letter cohort. F–Z browse

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

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