Which to use
“alegría” and “alergia” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #2,146
- “alegría” frequency rank
- #15,267
- “alergia” frequency rank
- 17413
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | alegría | alergia |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Sensación de contento que se produce debido a algo agradable. | Reacción de defensa exagerada del organismo en contra de diversas sustancias extrañas a él (alérgenos) introducidas por inhalación, ingestion, inyección o contacto con la piel, aun en cantidades mínimas, que pueden consistir en medicamentos (como la penicilina), alimentos (como el huevo), polen o algún producto químico. Esta reacción se manifiesta con síntomas respiratorios, cutáneos o nerviosos, y en casos extremos, puede ser mortal. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set alegría and alergia apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
alegría and alergia form a confusable pair in the Spanish index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They share most of their letters but differ in 3 positions - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 17413, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
alegría is recorded at frequency rank #2,146, classified as anoun, pronounced [aleˈɣ̞ɾia]. alergia is at rank #15,267, tagged as anoun, pronounced [aˈleɾxja].
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 17413, this pair ranks #272,208 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "alegría" and "alergia" be used interchangeably?
Remembering alegría vs alergia
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 “alegría” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable