schauen

[ˈʃaʊ̯ən]

/[ˈʃaʊ̯ən]/ verb

The verdict

“schauen” is in the everyday core of German, ranked #958 in German word frequency and used as a verb.

#958
frequency rank, German
7
letters
10
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - mehr aktiv als passiv mit den Augen wahrnehmen (also oft willentlich, aus eigenem Bestreben heraus/ durch eigenes Zutun herbeigeführt)

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

schauen vs schaut
71% similar
schauen vs schien
71% similar
schauen vs Schaum
57% similar

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

Key facts for schauen
PropertyValue
Headwordschauen
LanguageGerman
Part of speechVerb
IPA[ˈʃaʊ̯ən]
Letters7
Frequency rank#958
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “schauen” 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). schauen 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 schauen is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈʃaʊ̯ən]. Corpus data places it at rank #958 in overall German word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for schauen, with forms such as "cshauen", "scahuen", and "scchauen". 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, "schaut", "schien", "Schaum", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct German form is schauen, spelled S-C-H-A-U-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    mehr aktiv als passiv mit den Augen wahrnehmen (also oft willentlich, aus eigenem Bestreben heraus/ durch eigenes Zutun herbeigeführt)
  2. 2
    einen bestimmten Gesichtsausdruck haben (siehe auch dreinschauen, dreinblicken)
  3. 3
    auf etwas aufpassen, achtgeben, sich um jemanden kümmern
  4. 4
    prüfen, ob etwas in einem bestimmten Zustand ist
  5. 5
    als Ausruf der Verwunderung, als Ausdruck der Beschwichtigung
  6. 6
    sich bemühen, etwas Bestimmtes zu erreichen

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: cshauen,scahuen,scchauen,schaeun,schauenn,schaune,schhauen,schuaen,shcauen,sschauen

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

cshauen2scahuen2scchauen1schaeun2schauenn1schaune2schhauen1schuaen2
Edit distance from "schauen"

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 "schauen"?
"schauen" is spelled S-C-H-A-U-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈʃaʊ̯ən].
What does "schauen" mean?
As a verb, "schauen" means: mehr aktiv als passiv mit den Augen wahrnehmen (also oft willentlich, aus eigenem Bestreben heraus/ durch eigenes Zutun herbeigeführt)
What words are commonly confused with "schauen"?
"schauen" is commonly confused with "schaut", "schien", "Schaum". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "schauen"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "schauen" is [ˈʃaʊ̯ən]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "schauen" come from?
"schauen" 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 “schauen”

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

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