zu Grunde gehen

[t͡suˈɡʁʊndə ˌɡeːən]

/[t͡suˈɡʁʊndə ˌɡeːən]/ phrase

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

The verdict

“zu Grunde gehen” is outside the top-ranked German vocabulary, used as a phrase - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency German
15
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - aufhören zu existieren

Key facts for zu Grunde gehen
PropertyValue
Headwordzu Grunde gehen
LanguageGerman
Part of speechPhrase
IPA[t͡suˈɡʁʊndə ˌɡeːən]
Letters15
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “zu Grunde gehen” sits in German frequency

zu Grunde gehen falls outside the top-100,000 ranked German words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The German entry for zu Grunde gehen is 15 letters long, classified as a phrase, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [t͡suˈɡʁʊndə ˌɡeːən]. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "aufhören zu existieren".

No generated misspelling entries exist for zu Grunde gehen in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular German conventions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Our source data has no etymology on file for this entry, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct German form is zu Grunde gehen, spelled Z-U- -G-R-U-N-D-E- -G-E-H-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    aufhören zu existieren

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "zu Grunde gehen"?
"zu Grunde gehen" is spelled Z-U- -G-R-U-N-D-E- -G-E-H-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is [t͡suˈɡʁʊndə ˌɡeːən].
What does "zu Grunde gehen" mean?
As a phrase, "zu Grunde gehen" means: aufhören zu existieren
How do you pronounce "zu Grunde gehen"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "zu Grunde gehen" is [t͡suˈɡʁʊndə ˌɡeːən]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "zu Grunde gehen" come from?
"zu Grunde gehen" 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 “zu Grunde gehen”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is Z-U- -G-R-U-N-D-E- -G-E-H-E-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [t͡suˈɡʁʊndə ˌɡeːən] (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
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