llave

[ˈʝaβ̞e]

/[ˈʝaβ̞e]/ noun

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

The verdict

“llave” is a regularly-used Spanish word, ranked #4,352 in Spanish word frequency and used as a noun.

#4,352
frequency rank, Spanish
5
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Instrumento generalmente metálico que contiene un código grabado, el cuál al introducirlo en una cerradura permite abrirla.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

llave vs lle
60% similar
llave vs love
60% similar
llave vs llevo
60% similar

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

Key facts for llave
PropertyValue
Headwordllave
LanguageSpanish
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈʝaβ̞e]
Letters5
Frequency rank#4,352
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “llave” 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). llave 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 llave is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈʝaβ̞e]. Corpus data places it at rank #4,352 in overall Spanish word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 16 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for llave, with forms such as "lalve", "lave", and "llabe". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "lle", "love", "llevo", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Wiktionary doesn't record an etymology for this headword, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct Spanish form is llave, spelled L-L-A-V-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Instrumento generalmente metálico que contiene un código grabado, el cuál al introducirlo en una cerradura permite abrirla.
  2. 2
    Herramienta de diferentes medidas que se ajusta de forma precisa a una tuerca para apretarla o aflojarla.
  3. 3
    Instrumento que se coloca en una tubería para regular el paso de un fluido.
  4. 4
    Mecanismo que acciona el disparador en las armas de fuego portátiles.
  5. 5
    Instrumento de metal que consiste en un cilindro pequeño con taladro, generalmente cuadrado, en su parte interior, y que sirve para dar cuerda a los relojes.
  6. 6
    Pieza, generalmente metálica que se coloca en ciertos instrumentos musicales de viento, y que, accionado por el músico, permite o no el paso del aire, modificando tonos o escalas.
  7. 7
    Cuña que asegura la unión de dos piezas de madera o de hierro, encajada entre ellas.
  8. 8
    Instrumento empleado en odontología para extraer muelas.
  9. 9
    Nombre común dado a los caracteres { y }, que permiten agrupar los elementos de un conjunto y, en algunas ocasiones, sustituir al paréntesis.
  10. 10
    En algunas clases de combate deportivo, técnica que consiste en sujetar el cuerpo del oponente de manera que quede inmovilizado o derribado.
  11. 11
    Materia correlativa.
  12. 12
    Medio que facilita el descubrimiento de lo oculto o secreto.
  13. 13
    Cosa que sirve de resguardo o defensa a otra u otras.
  14. 14
    Resorte o medio para quitar los estorbos o dificultades que se oponen a la consecución de un fin.
  15. 15
    Porción de roca o mineral que se deja cortada en forma de arco para que sirva de fortificación en las minas.
  16. 16
    Clave (del pentagrama).

Synonyms

grifocanilla

This word in other languages

key(English)clé(Français)Schlüssel(Deutsch)chave(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: lalve,lave,llabe,llaev,llavve,llvae

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of llave - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

lalve2lave1llabe1llaev2llavve1llvae2
Edit distance from "llave"

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 "llave"?
"llave" is spelled L-L-A-V-E. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈʝaβ̞e].
What does "llave" mean?
As a noun, "llave" means: Instrumento generalmente metálico que contiene un código grabado, el cuál al introducirlo en una cerradura permite abrirla.
What words are commonly confused with "llave"?
"llave" is commonly confused with "lle", "love", "llevo". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "llave"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "llave" is [ˈʝaβ̞e]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "llave" come from?
"llave" 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 “llave”

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

  • The one correct Spanish spelling is L-L-A-V-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈʝaβ̞e] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “lle” - see the side-by-side comparison. llave vs lle
  • 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