diff --git a/git/objects/submodule/base.py b/git/objects/submodule/base.py
index b03fa22a5..8cf4dd1eb 100644
--- a/git/objects/submodule/base.py
+++ b/git/objects/submodule/base.py
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ def add(cls, repo, name, path, url=None, branch=None, no_checkout=False, depth=N
         mrepo = None
         if url is None:
             if not has_module:
-                raise ValueError("A URL was not given and existing repository did not exsit at %s" % path)
+                raise ValueError("A URL was not given and a repository did not exist at %s" % path)
             # END check url
             mrepo = sm.module()
             urls = [r.url for r in mrepo.remotes]