fehlen

\ˈfeːlən\

/\ˈfeːlən\/ verb

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

The verdict

“fehlen” is outside the top-ranked French vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency French
6
letters

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

Key facts for fehlen
PropertyValue
Headwordfehlen
LanguageFrench
Part of speechVerb
IPA\ˈfeːlən\
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “fehlen” sits in French frequency

fehlen falls outside the top-100,000 ranked French 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 French entry for fehlen is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \ˈfeːlən\. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

fehlen doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, a sign its spelling follows regular French conventions. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Wiktionary doesn't record an etymology for this headword, so its spelling is best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct French form is fehlen, spelled F-E-H-L-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Manquer, faire défaut.
  2. 2
    , es fehlt an : Manquer, faire défaut.
  3. 3
    (etwas fehlen, nichts fehlen) Être malade, ne pas être dans son assiette.
  4. 4
    Être absent.
  5. 5
    Manquer (à quelqu'un émotionnellement).
  6. 6
    Faire tort.
  7. 7
    Manquer, rater (un but).

Synonyms

mangeln

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 "fehlen"?
"fehlen" is spelled F-E-H-L-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is \ˈfeːlən\.
What does "fehlen" mean?
As a verb, "fehlen" means: Manquer, faire défaut.
How do you pronounce "fehlen"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "fehlen" is \ˈfeːlən\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "fehlen" come from?
"fehlen" is a French 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 “fehlen”

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

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