cantar

[kãn̪ˈt̪aɾ]

/[kãn̪ˈt̪aɾ]/ verb

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

The verdict

“cantar” is a regularly-used Spanish word, ranked #3,035 in Spanish word frequency and used as a verb.

#3,035
frequency rank, Spanish
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Usar la voz para emitir sonido melodioso, puede ser pronunciando palabras.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

cantar vs cata
67% similar
cantar vs carta
67% similar
cantar vs canto
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for cantar
PropertyValue
Headwordcantar
LanguageSpanish
Part of speechVerb
IPA[kãn̪ˈt̪aɾ]
Letters6
Frequency rank#3,035
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “cantar” sits in Spanish frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). cantar lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The Spanish entry for cantar is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [kãn̪ˈt̪aɾ]. Corpus data places it at rank #3,035 in overall Spanish word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 10 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for cantar, with forms such as "acntar", "canatr", and "canntar". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "cata", "carta", "canto", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

No documented word history exists for this headword, leaving phoneme-to-grapheme mapping as the best guide to its spelling rather than a borrowing history. The correct Spanish form is cantar, spelled C-A-N-T-A-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Usar la voz para emitir sonido melodioso, puede ser pronunciando palabras.
  2. 2
    Confesar o revelar información secreta.
  3. 3
    Sonar reiteradamente ciertos artefactos, en especial los ejes y las ametralladoras.
  4. 4
    Oler mal ciertas partes del cuerpo, en especial los pies y las axilas.
  5. 5
    Tener señales evidentes de alguna cosa.
  6. 6
    Llamar a alguien la atención.
  7. 7
    Avisar o dar noticia de alguna cosa.
  8. 8
    Sonar el pito de un barco como una señal de mando.
  9. 9
    Salomar, acompañar una faena con la saloma.
  10. 10
    Hacer el canto de una pieza concertante con un instrumento musical.

Synonyms

desembucharconfesar

This word in other languages

chanter(Français)singen(Deutsch)cantar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: acntar,canatr,canntar,cantarr,cantra,canttar,catnar,ccantar,cnatar

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of cantar - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

acntar2canatr2canntar1cantarr1cantra2canttar1catnar2ccantar1
Edit distance from "cantar"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 Spanish corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "cantar"?
"cantar" is spelled C-A-N-T-A-R. The IPA pronunciation is [kãn̪ˈt̪aɾ].
What does "cantar" mean?
As a verb, "cantar" means: Usar la voz para emitir sonido melodioso, puede ser pronunciando palabras.
What words are commonly confused with "cantar"?
"cantar" is commonly confused with "cata", "carta", "canto". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "cantar"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "cantar" is [kãn̪ˈt̪aɾ]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "cantar" come from?
"cantar" is a Spanish word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
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 “cantar”

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

  • The one correct Spanish spelling is C-A-N-T-A-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [kãn̪ˈt̪aɾ] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “cata” - see the side-by-side comparison. cantar vs cata
  • Browse more Spanish words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Spanish 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