lesen

\ˈleːzn̩\

/\ˈleːzn̩\/ verb

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

The verdict

“lesen” is uncommon French (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency French
5
letters

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

Key facts for lesen
PropertyValue
Headwordlesen
LanguageFrench
Part of speechVerb
IPA\ˈleːzn̩\
Letters5
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “lesen” sits in French frequency

lesen 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.

Rare enough to double-check

lesen is uncommon French outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed \ˈleːzn̩\. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 9 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for lesen in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Our source data has no etymology on file for this entry, so any spelling logic here comes from how the word's sounds map to letters, not a documented origin story. The correct French form is lesen, spelled L-E-S-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Lire.
  2. 2
    Cueillir, récolter.
  3. 3
    Prononcer, lire, faire (un discours, la messe).
  4. 4
    Lire à haute voix.
  5. 5
    Choisir, sélectionner, trier (pour garder ceux que l’on veut garder).
  6. 6
    Lire (des données) d’un fichier, d’un support de données.
  7. 7
    Lire et interpréter (p.ex. un comportement, un visage).
  8. 8
    Discerner, percevoir, saisir.
  9. 9
    Se lire d’une certaine manière, se laisser comprendre en lisant.

Antonyms

druckenschreiben

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

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

  • The one correct French spelling is L-E-S-E-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \ˈleːzn̩\ (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