Tropfen

[ˈtʁɔp͡fn̩]

/[ˈtʁɔp͡fn̩]/ noun

The verdict

“Tropfen” is a regularly-used German word, ranked #5,322 in German word frequency and used as a noun.

#5,322
frequency rank, German
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
16
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - kleine, kompakte Menge Flüssigkeit; flüssiger Körper mit geschlossener Phasengrenzfläche

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

Tropfen vs tropft
57% similar
Tropfen vs Truppen
71% similar
Tropfen vs trösten
43% similar

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

Key facts for Tropfen
PropertyValue
HeadwordTropfen
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈtʁɔp͡fn̩]
Letters7
Frequency rank#5,322
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs16
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Tropfen” 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). Tropfen 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 Tropfen is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈtʁɔp͡fn̩]. Corpus data places it at rank #5,322 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 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for Tropfen, with forms such as "rtopfen", "torpfen", and "trofpen". 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 16 confusable-pair relationships, "tropft", "Truppen", "trösten", 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 pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct German form is Tropfen, spelled T-R-O-P-F-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    kleine, kompakte Menge Flüssigkeit; flüssiger Körper mit geschlossener Phasengrenzfläche
  2. 2
    flüssige Medizin, die zur Anwendung auf die zu behandelnde Stelle geträufelt wird
  3. 3
    Wein

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: rtopfen,torpfen,trofpen,tropefn,tropfenn,tropffen,tropfne,troppfen,trpofen,trropfen,ttropfen

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

rtopfen2torpfen2trofpen2tropefn2tropfenn1tropffen1tropfne2troppfen1
Edit distance from "Tropfen"

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 "Tropfen"?
"Tropfen" is spelled T-R-O-P-F-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈtʁɔp͡fn̩].
What does "Tropfen" mean?
As a noun, "Tropfen" means: kleine, kompakte Menge Flüssigkeit; flüssiger Körper mit geschlossener Phasengrenzfläche
What words are commonly confused with "Tropfen"?
"Tropfen" is commonly confused with "tropft", "Truppen", "trösten". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Tropfen"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Tropfen" is [ˈtʁɔp͡fn̩]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Tropfen" come from?
"Tropfen" 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 “Tropfen”

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

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