scharfen

[ˈʃaʁfn̩]

/[ˈʃaʁfn̩]/ adj

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

The verdict

“scharfen” is a regularly-used German word, ranked #9,448 in German word frequency and used as an adjective.

#9,448
frequency rank, German
8
letters
13
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Genitiv Singular Maskulinum der starken Flexion des Positivs des Adjektivs scharf

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

scharfen vs schauen
75% similar
scharfen vs scheren
75% similar
scharfen vs schüren
75% similar

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

Key facts for scharfen
PropertyValue
Headwordscharfen
LanguageGerman
Part of speechAdjective
IPA[ˈʃaʁfn̩]
Letters8
Frequency rank#9,448
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “scharfen” 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). scharfen 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 scharfen is 8 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈʃaʁfn̩]. Corpus data places it at rank #9,448 in overall German word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 12 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for scharfen, with forms such as "csharfen", "scahrfen", and "sccharfen". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "schauen", "scheren", "schüren", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

No borrowing history is documented for this entry, so its spelling is best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct German form is scharfen, spelled S-C-H-A-R-F-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Genitiv Singular Maskulinum der starken Flexion des Positivs des Adjektivs scharf
  2. 2
    Akkusativ Singular Maskulinum der starken Flexion des Positivs des Adjektivs scharf
  3. 3
    Genitiv Singular Neutrum der starken Flexion des Positivs des Adjektivs scharf
  4. 4
    Dativ Plural alle Genera der starken Flexion des Positivs des Adjektivs scharf
  5. 5
    Genitiv Singular alle Genera der schwachen Flexion des Positivs des Adjektivs scharf
  6. 6
    Dativ Singular alle Genera der schwachen Flexion des Positivs des Adjektivs scharf
  7. 7
    Akkusativ Singular Maskulinum der schwachen Flexion des Positivs des Adjektivs scharf
  8. 8
    Alle Kasus Plural alle Genera der schwachen Flexion des Positivs des Adjektivs scharf
  9. 9
    Genitiv Singular alle Genera der gemischten Flexion des Positivs des Adjektivs scharf
  10. 10
    Dativ Singular alle Genera der gemischten Flexion des Positivs des Adjektivs scharf
  11. 11
    Akkusativ Singular Maskulinum der gemischten Flexion des Positivs des Adjektivs scharf
  12. 12
    Alle Kasus Plural alle Genera der gemischten Flexion des Positivs des Adjektivs scharf

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: csharfen,scahrfen,sccharfen,schafren,scharefn,scharfenn,scharffen,scharfne,scharrfen,schharfen,schrafen,shcarfen,sscharfen

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

csharfen2scahrfen2sccharfen1schafren2scharefn2scharfenn1scharffen1scharfne2
Edit distance from "scharfen"

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 "scharfen"?
"scharfen" is spelled S-C-H-A-R-F-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈʃaʁfn̩].
What does "scharfen" mean?
As an adjective, "scharfen" means: Genitiv Singular Maskulinum der starken Flexion des Positivs des Adjektivs scharf
What words are commonly confused with "scharfen"?
"scharfen" is commonly confused with "schauen", "scheren", "schüren". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "scharfen"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "scharfen" is [ˈʃaʁfn̩]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "scharfen" come from?
"scharfen" 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 “scharfen”

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

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