Problem

[pʁoˈbleːm]

/[pʁoˈbleːm]/ noun

The verdict

“Problem” is in the everyday core of German, ranked #381 in German word frequency and used as a noun.

#381
frequency rank, German
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
5
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - schwierige, noch ungelöste Aufgabe

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

Problem vs Problems
88% similar
Problem vs Problemen
78% similar
Problem vs Probe
71% similar

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

Key facts for Problem
PropertyValue
HeadwordProblem
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[pʁoˈbleːm]
Letters7
Frequency rank#381
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs5
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Problem” 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). Problem 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 Problem is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [pʁoˈbleːm]. Corpus data places it at rank #381 in overall German word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for Problem, with forms such as "porblem", "pproblem", and "prbolem". 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 5 confusable-pair relationships, "Problems", "Problemen", "Probe", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Wiktionary doesn't record an etymology for this headword, so its spelling is easiest to reason about phoneme by phoneme, absent a documented history. The correct German form is Problem, spelled P-R-O-B-L-E-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    schwierige, noch ungelöste Aufgabe
  2. 2
    etwas, was sich für einen bei einem Vorhaben als Hindernis herausstellt

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: porblem,pproblem,prbolem,probblem,probelm,problemm,probllem,problme,prolbem,prroblem,rpoblem

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

porblem2pproblem1prbolem2probblem1probelm2problemm1probllem1problme2
Edit distance from "Problem"

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 "Problem"?
"Problem" is spelled P-R-O-B-L-E-M. The IPA pronunciation is [pʁoˈbleːm].
What does "Problem" mean?
As a noun, "Problem" means: schwierige, noch ungelöste Aufgabe
What words are commonly confused with "Problem"?
"Problem" is commonly confused with "Problems", "Problemen", "Probe". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Problem"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Problem" is [pʁoˈbleːm]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Problem" come from?
"Problem" 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 “Problem”

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

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