schnell

[ʃnɛl]

/[ʃnɛl]/ adj

The verdict

“schnell” is in the everyday core of German, ranked #290 in German word frequency and used as an adjective.

#290
frequency rank, German
7
letters
10
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - eine hohe Geschwindigkeit habend, das Gegenteil von langsam

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

schnell vs scholl
71% similar
schnell vs Schwelm
57% similar
schnell vs schrill
71% similar

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

Key facts for schnell
PropertyValue
Headwordschnell
LanguageGerman
Part of speechAdjective
IPA[ʃnɛl]
Letters7
Frequency rank#290
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “schnell” 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). schnell 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 schnell is 7 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ʃnɛl]. Corpus data places it at rank #290 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 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for schnell, with forms such as "cshnell", "scchnell", and "schenll". 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, "scholl", "Schwelm", "schrill", 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 pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct German form is schnell, spelled S-C-H-N-E-L-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    eine hohe Geschwindigkeit habend, das Gegenteil von langsam
  2. 2
    nur vergleichsweise wenig Zeit beanspruchend, das Gegenteil von langwierig
  3. 3
    wenig Zeit benötigend

Antonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: cshnell,scchnell,schenll,schhnell,schnel,schnlel,schnnell,scnhell,shcnell,sschnell

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of schnell - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

cshnell2scchnell1schenll2schhnell1schnel1schnlel2schnnell1scnhell2
Edit distance from "schnell"

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 "schnell"?
"schnell" is spelled S-C-H-N-E-L-L. The IPA pronunciation is [ʃnɛl].
What does "schnell" mean?
As an adjective, "schnell" means: eine hohe Geschwindigkeit habend, das Gegenteil von langsam
What words are commonly confused with "schnell"?
"schnell" is commonly confused with "scholl", "Schwelm", "schrill". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "schnell"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "schnell" is [ʃnɛl]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "schnell" come from?
"schnell" 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 “schnell”

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

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