neben

[ˈneːbn̩]

/[ˈneːbn̩]/ prep

The verdict

“neben” is in the everyday core of German, ranked #314 in German word frequency and used as a preposition.

#314
frequency rank, German
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - räumlich angrenzend, in unmittelbarer Nähe

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

neben vs nen
60% similar
neben vs nee
60% similar
neben vs neue
60% similar

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

Key facts for neben
PropertyValue
Headwordneben
LanguageGerman
Part of speechPreposition
IPA[ˈneːbn̩]
Letters5
Frequency rank#314
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “neben” 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). neben 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 neben is 5 letters long, classified as a preposition, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈneːbn̩]. Corpus data places it at rank #314 in overall German word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for neben, with forms such as "enben", "nbeen", and "nebben". 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, "nen", "nee", "neue", 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 is easiest to reason about phoneme by phoneme, absent a documented history. The correct German form is neben, spelled N-E-B-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    räumlich angrenzend, in unmittelbarer Nähe
  2. 2
    zusätzlich zu
  3. 3
    im Vergleich mit

Synonyms

Antonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: enben,nbeen,nebben,nebenn,nebne,neebn,nneben

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

enben2nbeen2nebben1nebenn1nebne2neebn2nneben1
Edit distance from "neben"

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 "neben"?
"neben" is spelled N-E-B-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈneːbn̩].
What does "neben" mean?
As a preposition, "neben" means: räumlich angrenzend, in unmittelbarer Nähe
What words are commonly confused with "neben"?
"neben" is commonly confused with "nen", "nee", "neue". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "neben"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "neben" is [ˈneːbn̩]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "neben" come from?
"neben" 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.

Using “neben”

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

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