APIvsareTell them apart

Quick tell: API is a noun, are is a verb, so they fill different roles in a sentence.

Which to use

“API” is a noun and “are” is a verb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.

#19,027
“API” frequency rank
#6,261
“are” frequency rank
25288
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature API are
Definition Conjunto de especificaciones e implementación de comunicación entre componentes software. Se trata de de un conjunto de funciones o llamadas al sistema o bien un conjuto de clases y sus métodos cuyo propósito es ofrecer acceso a los servicios de un sistema. Primera persona del singular (yo) del presente de subjuntivo de arar.

Where the eye mixes API and are

Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 1 letter in sequence.

3 ch
API
3 ch
are

Visual trap between API and are

These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: API is [ˈapi] while are is [ˈaɾe]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions, and the parts of speech differ too (noun vs verb), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 25288, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

API is recorded at frequency rank #19,027, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈapi]. 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 25288, this pair ranks #237,149 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of API vs are

Shared letters: a. Private to "API": ip. Private to "are": er.

"API" · 3 letters · shape VCV  ·  "are" · 3 letters · shape VCV

Frequently Asked Questions

Do "API" and "are" mean the same thing in a sentence?
No - they are not even the same part of speech. "API" is a noun and "are" a verb, so a sentence built for one is usually ungrammatical with the other.
In ordinary Spanish text, does "API" or "are" show up more?
"are" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #6,261 in our Spanish list, against #19,027 for "API". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Useful next steps

Eye-level mix-up between "API" and "are" is sorted above. Next: full entries or other pairs that share a letter shape.

  • Full dictionary entry for "API" 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 #237,149 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
  • "API" and "are" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "API vs apis". Nearby pair

Confusion rank #237,149 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list