wenn

[vɛn]

/[vɛn]/ conj

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

The verdict

“wenn” is in the everyday core of German, ranked #41 in German word frequency and used as a conjunction.

#41
frequency rank, German
4
letters
3
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - sobald

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

wenn vs wer
50% similar
wenn vs wes
50% similar
wenn vs won
50% similar

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

Key facts for wenn
PropertyValue
Headwordwenn
LanguageGerman
Part of speechConjunction
IPA[vɛn]
Letters4
Frequency rank#41
Misspellings tracked3
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “wenn” 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). wenn 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 wenn is 4 letters long, classified as a conjunction, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [vɛn]. Corpus data places it at rank #41 in overall German word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 3 likely wrong-spelling variants for wenn, with forms such as "ewnn", "wnen", and "wwenn". 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, "wer", "wes", "won", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

This entry's etymology isn't recorded, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct German form is wenn, spelled W-E-N-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    sobald
  2. 2
    sooft, während
  3. 3
    Einleitung eines Bedingungssatzes
  4. 4
    ‚als wenn‘ oder ‚wie wenn‘: als ob; als sei es so (Vergleich mit Unwahrem)
  5. 5
    obwohl

Synonyms

fallsdafern

This word in other languages

when(English)cuando(Español)quand(Français)se(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ewnn,wnen,wwenn

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ewnn2wnen2wwenn1
Edit distance from "wenn"

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 "wenn"?
"wenn" is spelled W-E-N-N. The IPA pronunciation is [vɛn].
What does "wenn" mean?
As a conjunction, "wenn" means: sobald
What words are commonly confused with "wenn"?
"wenn" is commonly confused with "wer", "wes", "won". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "wenn"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "wenn" is [vɛn]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "wenn" come from?
"wenn" 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 “wenn”

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

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