Which to use
“alimentar” and “alimentarse” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #7,510
- “alimentar” frequency rank
- #18,143
- “alimentarse” frequency rank
- 25653
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | alimentar | alimentarse |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Dar comida o alimentos. | Alimentar (uso pronominal de ...) |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set alimentar and alimentarse apart are highlighted. They share 9 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. alimentar ([alimẽn̪ˈt̪aɾ]) and alimentarse ([alimẽn̪ˈt̪aɾse]) 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) - “alimentar” sits inside “alimentarse”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 25653, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
alimentar is recorded at frequency rank #7,510, classified as averb, pronounced [alimẽn̪ˈt̪aɾ]. alimentarse is at rank #18,143, tagged as averb, pronounced [alimẽn̪ˈt̪aɾse].
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 25653, this pair ranks #235,438 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of alimentar vs alimentarse
Shared letters: aeilmnrt. Private to "alimentar": -. Private to "alimentarse": s.
"alimentar" · 9 letters · shape VCVCVCCVC · "alimentarse" · 11 letters · shape VCVCVCCVCCV
Known mistypes of this pair
- alimentar ← ailmentar · aliemntar · alimenatr · alimenntar · alimentarr · alimentra · alimenttar · alimetnar
- alimentarse ← ailmentarse · aliemntarse · alimenatrse · alimenntarse · alimentarce · alimentares · alimentarrse · alimentarsse
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "alimentar" and "alimentarse" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "alimentar" or "alimentarse"?
Remembering alimentar vs alimentarse
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 “alimentar” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable