Kaufmann

[ˈkaʊ̯fˌman]

/[ˈkaʊ̯fˌman]/ noun

The verdict

“Kaufmann” is a regularly-used German word, ranked #6,077 in German word frequency and used as a noun.

#6,077
frequency rank, German
8
letters
10
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Inhaber eines Handelsbetriebes, oder Fachkraft in einem solchen

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

Kaufmann vs Kaufmanns
89% similar

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

Key facts for Kaufmann
PropertyValue
HeadwordKaufmann
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈkaʊ̯fˌman]
Letters8
Frequency rank#6,077
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Kaufmann” 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). Kaufmann 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 Kaufmann is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈkaʊ̯fˌman]. Corpus data places it at rank #6,077 in overall German word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "Inhaber eines Handelsbetriebes, oder Fachkraft in einem solchen".

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for Kaufmann, with forms such as "akufmann", "kafumann", and "kaufamnn". 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 1 confusable-pair relationship, "Kaufmanns", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

This headword's origin isn't recorded in our source data, so spelling patterns must be inferred from the word's phoneme-to-grapheme mapping rather than from a documented borrowing chain. The correct German form is Kaufmann, spelled K-A-U-F-M-A-N-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Inhaber eines Handelsbetriebes, oder Fachkraft in einem solchen

Synonyms

GeschäftsmannHandelsgewerbetreibenderHandeltreibenderHandelstreibender

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: akufmann,kafumann,kaufamnn,kauffmann,kaufman,kaufmmann,kaufmnan,kaumfann,kkaufmann,kuafmann

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

akufmann2kafumann2kaufamnn2kauffmann1kaufman1kaufmmann1kaufmnan2kaumfann2
Edit distance from "Kaufmann"

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 "Kaufmann"?
"Kaufmann" is spelled K-A-U-F-M-A-N-N. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈkaʊ̯fˌman].
What does "Kaufmann" mean?
As a noun, "Kaufmann" means: Inhaber eines Handelsbetriebes, oder Fachkraft in einem solchen
What words are commonly confused with "Kaufmann"?
"Kaufmann" is commonly confused with "Kaufmanns". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Kaufmann"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Kaufmann" is [ˈkaʊ̯fˌman]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Kaufmann" come from?
"Kaufmann" 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 “Kaufmann”

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

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