Schäfchen

\ˈʃɛːfçən\

/\ˈʃɛːfçən\/ noun

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency French
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Petit mouton.

Corpus desk

Index FR-schafchen · Schäfchen · French

Schäfchen · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "S" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for Schäfchen
PropertyValue
HeadwordSchäfchen
LanguageFrench
Part of speechNoun
IPA\ˈʃɛːfçən\
Letters9
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Longue queue: rang de « Schäfchen » en français

Schäfchensiège au-delà des 100.000 formes les plus fréquentes du français, dans la traîne du lexique spécialisé ou peu usité.

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

Rare enough to double-check

Schäfchen is uncommon French outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed \ˈʃɛːfçən\. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for Schäfchen, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. Our dataset records no confusable match here, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

No borrowing history is documented 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 Schäfchen, spelled S-C-H-Ä-F-C-H-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Petit mouton.
  2. 2
    Ouailles (paroissienne).

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how Schäfchen appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Das kleine Schäfchen steht mit dem Mutterschaf auf der Weide.

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 "Schäfchen"?
"Schäfchen" is spelled S-C-H-Ä-F-C-H-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is \ˈʃɛːfçən\.
What does "Schäfchen" mean?
As a noun, "Schäfchen" means: Petit mouton.
How do you pronounce "Schäfchen"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Schäfchen" is \ˈʃɛːfçən\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Schäfchen" come from?
"Schäfchen" 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.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list