contrario

[kõn̪ˈt̪ɾaɾjo]

/[kõn̪ˈt̪ɾaɾjo]/ adj

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

The verdict

“contrario” is in the everyday core of Spanish, ranked #933 in Spanish word frequency and used as an adjective.

#933
frequency rank, Spanish
9
letters
13
tracked misspellings
7
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Opuesto a una cosa.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

contrario vs contrato
78% similar
contrario vs contrarios
90% similar
contrario vs contagio
78% similar

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

Key facts for contrario
PropertyValue
Headwordcontrario
LanguageSpanish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA[kõn̪ˈt̪ɾaɾjo]
Letters9
Frequency rank#933
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs7
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “contrario” 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). contrario 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 contrario is 9 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [kõn̪ˈt̪ɾaɾjo]. Corpus data places it at rank #933 in overall Spanish word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for contrario, with forms such as "ccontrario", "cnotrario", and "conntrario". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 7 confusable-pair relationships, "contrato", "contrarios", "contagio", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, so its spelling is best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct Spanish form is contrario, spelled C-O-N-T-R-A-R-I-O.

Definition

  1. 1
    Opuesto a una cosa.
  2. 2
    Persona que tiene enemistad con otra.
  3. 3
    Persona que está en pleito con otra.
  4. 4
    Persona que lucha o contiende o está en oposición con otra.
  5. 5
    Impedimento, embarazo, contrariedad.
  6. 6
    En sentido figurado, que daña o perjudica.
  7. 7
    se dice que la armonía marcha en movimiento contrario cuando, de las dos partes, una asciende y otra desciende o viceversa.

This word in other languages

contrary(English)contraire(Français)contrário(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ccontrario,cnotrario,conntrario,conrtario,contarrio,contrairo,contraroi,contrarrio,contrraio,contrrario,conttrario,cotnrario,ocntrario

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of contrario - 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.

ccontrario1cnotrario2conntrario1conrtario2contarrio2contrairo2contraroi2contrarrio1
Edit distance from "contrario"

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 "contrario"?
"contrario" is spelled C-O-N-T-R-A-R-I-O. The IPA pronunciation is [kõn̪ˈt̪ɾaɾjo].
What does "contrario" mean?
As an adjective, "contrario" means: Opuesto a una cosa.
What words are commonly confused with "contrario"?
"contrario" is commonly confused with "contrato", "contrarios", "contagio". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "contrario"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "contrario" is [kõn̪ˈt̪ɾaɾjo]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "contrario" come from?
"contrario" is a Spanish word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
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 “contrario”

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

  • The one correct Spanish spelling is C-O-N-T-R-A-R-I-O - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [kõn̪ˈt̪ɾaɾjo] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “contrato” - see the side-by-side comparison. contrario vs contrato
  • 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