grab

[ɡʁaːp]

/[ɡʁaːp]/ verb

The verdict

“grab” is a regularly-used German word, ranked #3,965 in German word frequency and used as a verb.

#3,965
frequency rank, German
4
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - 2. Person Singular Imperativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs graben

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

grab vs Grad
50% similar
grab vs grün
50% similar
grab vs Graf
50% similar

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

Key facts for grab
PropertyValue
Headwordgrab
LanguageGerman
Part of speechVerb
IPA[ɡʁaːp]
Letters4
Frequency rank#3,965
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “grab” 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). grab 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 grab is 4 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ɡʁaːp]. Corpus data places it at rank #3,965 in overall German word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "2. Person Singular Imperativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs graben".

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for grab, with forms such as "garb", "ggrab", and "grabb". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "Grad", "grün", "Graf", 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 pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct German form is grab, spelled G-R-A-B.

Definition

  1. 1
    2. Person Singular Imperativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs graben

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: garb,ggrab,grabb,grba,grrab,rgab

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of grab - 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.

garb2ggrab1grabb1grba2grrab1rgab2
Edit distance from "grab"

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 "grab"?
"grab" is spelled G-R-A-B. The IPA pronunciation is [ɡʁaːp].
What does "grab" mean?
As a verb, "grab" means: 2. Person Singular Imperativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs graben
What words are commonly confused with "grab"?
"grab" is commonly confused with "Grad", "grün", "Graf". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "grab"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "grab" is [ɡʁaːp]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "grab" come from?
"grab" is a German word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
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 “grab”

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

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