Español homophones
co/coo/ko
"co" is a noun; "ko" is a pronoun - grammar picks the spelling, not sound. Size rank #6 of 387 Spanish groups.
Data vintage
Grammar picks the spelling
Same sound, different grammar: "co" arrives as a noun, while "ko" is a pronoun. Once the sentence role is fixed, only one spelling fits.
Spelling pairs in this cluster
- Shared stem "co" then splits - "co" (2 letters) vs "coo" (3).
- No shared spelling stem: "co" is 2 letters, "ko" is 2; only the sound ties them.
- No shared spelling stem: "coo" is 3 letters, "ko" is 2; only the sound ties them.
Orthographic DNA of this cluster
Shared letters across co, coo, ko: o. Private letters are the ones only one spelling owns: the eye's fastest tell once sound is out of the picture.
co
2 letters · 1 vowels · shape CV
Inventory co · private c
coo
3 letters · 2 vowels · shape CVV
Inventory co · private c
ko
2 letters · 1 vowels · shape CV
Inventory ko · private k
Pick the spelling from the meaning
- Write "co" when you mean: Chico, ese o tío.
- Write "coo" when you mean: (Strix rufipes) Ave rapaz nocturna estrigiforme con rayas alternadas entre gris y blanco, presente en Chile y Argentina.
- Write "ko" when you mean: Este, esta. Pronombre y adjetivo demostrativo usado para una entidad presente.