suave

[ˈswaβ̞e]

/[ˈswaβ̞e]/ adj

The verdict

“suave” is a regularly-used Spanish word, ranked #3,741 in Spanish word frequency and used as an adjective.

#3,741
frequency rank, Spanish
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Carente de durezas y asperezas, que es blando y liso al tacto.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

suave vs sue
60% similar
suave vs SUV
0% similar
suave vs sube
60% similar

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

Key facts for suave
PropertyValue
Headwordsuave
LanguageSpanish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA[ˈswaβ̞e]
Letters5
Frequency rank#3,741
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “suave” 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). suave 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 suave is 5 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈswaβ̞e]. Corpus data places it at rank #3,741 in overall Spanish word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for suave, with forms such as "sauve", "ssuave", and "suabe". 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, "sue", "SUV", "sube", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

No borrowing history is documented for this entry, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct Spanish form is suave, spelled S-U-A-V-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Carente de durezas y asperezas, que es blando y liso al tacto.
  2. 2
    Carente de brusquedad, intensidad y asperezas, al oído o a los sentidos en general.
  3. 3
    Dulce y agradable al paladar.
  4. 4
    Que no presenta saltos y cambios bruscos en su trato o comportamiento.
  5. 5
    Que se mueve con lentitud y gracia, sin brusquedad.
  6. 6
    Dicho de una persona o animal: que tiene buen carácter.
  7. 7
    Que gusta y está muy bueno.

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: sauve,ssuave,suabe,suaev,suavve,suvae,usave

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of suave - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

sauve2ssuave1suabe1suaev2suavve1suvae2usave2
Edit distance from "suave"

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 "suave"?
"suave" is spelled S-U-A-V-E. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈswaβ̞e].
What does "suave" mean?
As an adjective, "suave" means: Carente de durezas y asperezas, que es blando y liso al tacto.
What words are commonly confused with "suave"?
"suave" is commonly confused with "sue", "SUV", "sube". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "suave"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "suave" is [ˈswaβ̞e]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "suave" come from?
"suave" 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 “suave”

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

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