Tempo

[ˈtɛmpo]

/[ˈtɛmpo]/ noun

The verdict

“Tempo” is a regularly-used German word, ranked #4,468 in German word frequency and used as a noun.

#4,468
frequency rank, German
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
6
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - die Taktfrequenz in der Musik

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

Tempo vs timo
40% similar
Tempo vs temps
60% similar
Tempo vs Tampa
60% similar

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

Key facts for Tempo
PropertyValue
HeadwordTempo
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈtɛmpo]
Letters5
Frequency rank#4,468
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs6
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Tempo” 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). Tempo 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 Tempo is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈtɛmpo]. Corpus data places it at rank #4,468 in overall German word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. 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 Tempo, with forms such as "etmpo", "temmpo", and "temop". 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 6 confusable-pair relationships, "timo", "temps", "Tampa", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

No documented word history exists for this headword, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct German form is Tempo, spelled T-E-M-P-O.

Definition

  1. 1
    die Taktfrequenz in der Musik
  2. 2
    Geschwindigkeit, mit der sich etwas bewegt oder eine Handlung abläuft
  3. 3
    Vorsprung von einem Zug beim Schach

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: etmpo,temmpo,temop,temppo,tepmo,tmepo,ttempo

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

etmpo2temmpo1temop2temppo1tepmo2tmepo2ttempo1
Edit distance from "Tempo"

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 "Tempo"?
"Tempo" is spelled T-E-M-P-O. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈtɛmpo].
What does "Tempo" mean?
As a noun, "Tempo" means: die Taktfrequenz in der Musik
What words are commonly confused with "Tempo"?
"Tempo" is commonly confused with "timo", "temps", "Tampa". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Tempo"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Tempo" is [ˈtɛmpo]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Tempo" come from?
"Tempo" 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 “Tempo”

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

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