nach und nach

[ˈnaːx ʊnt ˈnaːx]

/[ˈnaːx ʊnt ˈnaːx]/ phrase

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

The verdict

“nach und nach” is uncommon German (outside the top frequency list), classed as a phrase. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency German
13
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - in einer langsamen, aber stetig fortschreitenden Entwicklung

Key facts for nach und nach
PropertyValue
Headwordnach und nach
LanguageGerman
Part of speechPhrase
IPA[ˈnaːx ʊnt ˈnaːx]
Letters13
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “nach und nach” sits in German frequency

nach und nach falls outside the top-100,000 ranked German words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

nach und nach is uncommon German outside the top frequency list, classed as aphrase, transcribed [ˈnaːx ʊnt ˈnaːx]. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "in einer langsamen, aber stetig fortschreitenden Entwicklung".

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for nach und nach, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

No documented word history exists for this headword, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct German form is nach und nach, spelled N-A-C-H- -U-N-D- -N-A-C-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    in einer langsamen, aber stetig fortschreitenden Entwicklung

Synonyms

allmählichmit und mit

This word in other languages

gradually(English)progresivamente(Español)petit à petit(Français)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "nach und nach"?
"nach und nach" is spelled N-A-C-H- -U-N-D- -N-A-C-H. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈnaːx ʊnt ˈnaːx].
What does "nach und nach" mean?
As a phrase, "nach und nach" means: in einer langsamen, aber stetig fortschreitenden Entwicklung
How do you pronounce "nach und nach"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "nach und nach" is [ˈnaːx ʊnt ˈnaːx]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "nach und nach" come from?
"nach und nach" 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 “nach und nach”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is N-A-C-H- -U-N-D- -N-A-C-H - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈnaːx ʊnt ˈnaːx] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • 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