Zufall

[ˈt͡suːˌfal]

/[ˈt͡suːˌfal]/ noun

The verdict

“Zufall” is a regularly-used German word, ranked #2,871 in German word frequency and used as a noun.

#2,871
frequency rank, German
6
letters
7
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - das nicht Vorhersehbare, das nicht Beabsichtigte

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

Zufall vs zumal
50% similar
Zufall vs Zufälle
71% similar
Zufall vs zufällig
50% similar

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

Key facts for Zufall
PropertyValue
HeadwordZufall
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈt͡suːˌfal]
Letters6
Frequency rank#2,871
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Zufall” 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). Zufall 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 Zufall is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈt͡suːˌfal]. Corpus data places it at rank #2,871 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 Zufall, with forms such as "uzfall", "zfuall", and "zuafll". 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 4 confusable-pair relationships, "zumal", "Zufälle", "zufällig", 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 pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct German form is Zufall, spelled Z-U-F-A-L-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    das nicht Vorhersehbare, das nicht Beabsichtigte
  2. 2
    der Zufall als tätiges Subjekt
  3. 3
    plötzliche, deutliche Veränderung der Gesundheit, die nicht näher bezeichnet werden kann

Synonyms

Antonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: uzfall,zfuall,zuafll,zufal,zuffall,zuflal,zzufall

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Zufall - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

uzfall2zfuall2zuafll2zufal1zuffall1zuflal2zzufall1
Edit distance from "Zufall"

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 "Zufall"?
"Zufall" is spelled Z-U-F-A-L-L. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈt͡suːˌfal].
What does "Zufall" mean?
As a noun, "Zufall" means: das nicht Vorhersehbare, das nicht Beabsichtigte
What words are commonly confused with "Zufall"?
"Zufall" is commonly confused with "zumal", "Zufälle", "zufällig". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Zufall"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Zufall" is [ˈt͡suːˌfal]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Zufall" come from?
"Zufall" 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 “Zufall”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is Z-U-F-A-L-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈt͡suːˌfal] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “zumal” - see the side-by-side comparison. Zufall vs zumal
  • 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