tüfteln

[ˈtʏftl̩n]

/[ˈtʏftl̩n]/ verb

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

The verdict

“tüfteln” is uncommon German (frequency #92,336 among 35,386 “T” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#92,336
frequency rank, German
35,386
“T” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - längere Zeit und mit Geduld an der Lösung eines Problems arbeiten, häufig auch durch Versuch und Irrtum

Key facts for tüfteln
PropertyValue
Headwordtüfteln
LanguageGerman
Part of speechVerb
IPA[ˈtʏftl̩n]
Letters7
Frequency rank#92,336
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “tüfteln” 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). tüfteln lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

tüfteln is uncommon German at frequency #92,336 among 35,386 “T” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed [ˈtʏftl̩n]. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "längere Zeit und mit Geduld an der Lösung eines Problems arbeiten, häufig auch durch Versuch und Irrtum".

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for tüfteln, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Our source data has no etymology on file for this entry, so its spelling is easiest to reason about phoneme by phoneme, absent a documented history. The correct German form is tüfteln, spelled T-Ü-F-T-E-L-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    längere Zeit und mit Geduld an der Lösung eines Problems arbeiten, häufig auch durch Versuch und Irrtum

This word in other languages

tinker(English)ajustar(Español)bricoler(Français)

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 "tüfteln"?
"tüfteln" is spelled T-Ü-F-T-E-L-N. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈtʏftl̩n].
What does "tüfteln" mean?
As a verb, "tüfteln" means: längere Zeit und mit Geduld an der Lösung eines Problems arbeiten, häufig auch durch Versuch und Irrtum
How do you pronounce "tüfteln"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "tüfteln" is [ˈtʏftl̩n]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "tüfteln" come from?
"tüfteln" is a German word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
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 “tüfteln”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is T-Ü-F-T-E-L-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈtʏftl̩n] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more German words and confusable pairs in the same reference. German words

Other uncommon German words near this rank

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