Which to use
“ape” is a noun and “are” is a verb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #45,736
- “ape” frequency rank
- #6,261
- “are” frequency rank
- 51997
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | ape | are |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Espalda. | Primera persona del singular (yo) del presente de subjuntivo de arar. |
Where the eye mixes ape and are
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 2 letters in sequence.
Visual trap between ape and are
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: ape is [aˈpe] while are is [ˈaɾe]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by a single letter - p in “ape” becomes r in “are”, and the parts of speech differ too (noun vs verb), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 51997, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
ape is recorded at frequency rank #45,736, classified as anoun, pronounced [aˈpe]. are is at rank #6,261, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈaɾe].
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 51997, this pair ranks #94,945 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of ape vs are
Shared letters: ae. Private to "ape": p. Private to "are": r.
"ape" · 3 letters · shape VCV · "are" · 3 letters · shape VCV
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "ape" for "are" ever safe?
Frequency check: "ape" vs "are" - which ranks higher?
What to do next
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "ape" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "are" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #94,945 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "ape" and "are" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "ape vs apis". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #94,945 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.