Grundlage

[ˈɡʁʊntˌlaːɡə]

/[ˈɡʁʊntˌlaːɡə]/ noun

The verdict

“Grundlage” is a regularly-used German word, ranked #1,697 in German word frequency and used as a noun.

#1,697
frequency rank, German
9
letters
14
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - etwas (bereits Vorhandenes), auf das man etwas aufbauen oder von dem aus man etwas weiterentwickeln kann. Wesentlicher Bestandteil (einer Idee, Lehre, Theorie)

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

Grundlage vs Grundzüge
78% similar
Grundlage vs Grundlagen
90% similar

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

Key facts for Grundlage
PropertyValue
HeadwordGrundlage
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈɡʁʊntˌlaːɡə]
Letters9
Frequency rank#1,697
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Grundlage” 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). Grundlage 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 Grundlage is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈɡʁʊntˌlaːɡə]. Corpus data places it at rank #1,697 in overall German word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 3 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 Grundlage, with forms such as "ggrundlage", "grnudlage", and "grrundlage". 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 2 confusable-pair relationships, "Grundzüge", "Grundlagen", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

This headword's origin isn't recorded in our source data, so its spelling is best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct German form is Grundlage, spelled G-R-U-N-D-L-A-G-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    etwas (bereits Vorhandenes), auf das man etwas aufbauen oder von dem aus man etwas weiterentwickeln kann. Wesentlicher Bestandteil (einer Idee, Lehre, Theorie)
  2. 2
    Ausgangssubstanz eines synthetischen Stoffes
  3. 3
    kräftige, fetthaltige Mahlzeit

Synonyms

Antonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ggrundlage,grnudlage,grrundlage,grudnlage,grundalge,grunddlage,grundlaeg,grundlagge,grundlgae,grundllage,grunldage,grunndlage,gurndlage,rgundlage

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ggrundlage1grnudlage2grrundlage1grudnlage2grundalge2grunddlage1grundlaeg2grundlagge1
Edit distance from "Grundlage"

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 "Grundlage"?
"Grundlage" is spelled G-R-U-N-D-L-A-G-E. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈɡʁʊntˌlaːɡə].
What does "Grundlage" mean?
As a noun, "Grundlage" means: etwas (bereits Vorhandenes), auf das man etwas aufbauen oder von dem aus man etwas weiterentwickeln kann. Wesentlicher Bestandteil (einer Idee, Lehre, Theorie)
What words are commonly confused with "Grundlage"?
"Grundlage" is commonly confused with "Grundzüge", "Grundlagen". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Grundlage"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Grundlage" is [ˈɡʁʊntˌlaːɡə]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Grundlage" come from?
"Grundlage" is a German word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
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 “Grundlage”

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

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