Which to use
“ahogar” and “ahogarse” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #22,561
- “ahogar” frequency rank
- #39,556
- “ahogarse” frequency rank
- 62117
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | ahogar | ahogarse |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Impedir que una persona o animal respirar, por ejemplo agarrándole la garganta o metiéndolo en el agua, generalmente causándole la muerte. | No poder respirar, por ejemplo a causa de inmersión en el agua o por presión en la garganta, hasta a veces morir. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set ahogar and ahogarse apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. ahogar ([aoˈɣ̞aɾ]) and ahogarse ([aoˈɣ̞aɾse]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by 2 extra letter(s) - “ahogar” sits inside “ahogarse”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 62117, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
ahogar is recorded at frequency rank #22,561, classified as averb, pronounced [aoˈɣ̞aɾ]. ahogarse is at rank #39,556, tagged as averb, pronounced [aoˈɣ̞aɾse].
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 62117, this pair ranks #53,079 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.
Orthographic DNA of ahogar vs ahogarse
Shared letters: aghor. Private to "ahogar": -. Private to "ahogarse": es.
"ahogar" · 6 letters · shape VCVCVC · "ahogarse" · 8 letters · shape VCVCVCCV
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "ahogar" and "ahogarse" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "ahogar" or "ahogarse"?
Remembering ahogar vs ahogarse
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “ahogar” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable