problem

/ˈpɹɒb.ləm/

//ˈpɹɒb.ləm// noun

The verdict

“problem” is a moderately-common Spanish word, ranked #23,557 in Spanish word frequency and used as a noun.

#23,557
frequency rank, Spanish
7
letters
12
tracked misspellings
5
confusable pairs

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

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

problem vs prole
71% similar
problem vs problema
88% similar
problem vs problems
88% similar

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

Key facts for problem
PropertyValue
Headwordproblem
LanguageSpanish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈpɹɒb.ləm/
Letters7
Frequency rank#23,557
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs5
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “problem” sits in Spanish 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). problem 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 Spanish entry for problem is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈpɹɒb.ləm/. Corpus data places it at rank #23,557 in overall Spanish word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "Problema.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for problem, with forms such as "porblem", "pproblem", and "prbolem". 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 5 confusable-pair relationships, "prole", "problema", "problems", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

This headword's origin isn't recorded in our source data, leaving phoneme-to-grapheme mapping as the best guide to its spelling rather than a borrowing history. The correct Spanish form is problem, spelled P-R-O-B-L-E-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    Problema.

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: porblem,pproblem,prbolem,probblem,probelm,problemm,probllem,problme,prolbem,provlem,prroblem,rpoblem

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of problem - 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.

porblem2pproblem1prbolem2probblem1probelm2problemm1probllem1problme2
Edit distance from "problem"

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 Spanish corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "problem"?
"problem" is spelled P-R-O-B-L-E-M. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpɹɒb.ləm/.
What does "problem" mean?
As a noun, "problem" means: Problema.
What words are commonly confused with "problem"?
"problem" is commonly confused with "prole", "problema", "problems". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "problem"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "problem" is /ˈpɹɒb.ləm/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "problem" come from?
"problem" is a Spanish 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 “problem”

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

  • The one correct Spanish spelling is P-R-O-B-L-E-M - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈpɹɒb.ləm/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “prole” - see the side-by-side comparison. problem vs prole
  • Browse more Spanish words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Spanish 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