APIvsayWhich spelling fits?

Quick tell: API is a noun, ay is an intj, so they fill different roles in a sentence.

Which to use

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

#19,027
“API” frequency rank
#1,538
“ay” frequency rank
20565
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature API ay
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. Expresa dolor o pena.

Where the eye mixes API and ay

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

3 ch
API
2 ch
ay

Look-alike desk: API vs ay

These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: API is [ˈapi] while ay is [ˈaj]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (noun vs intj), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 20565, 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]. ay is at rank #1,538, tagged as anintj, pronounced [ˈaj].

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 20565, this pair ranks #258,759 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of API vs ay

Shared letters: a. Private to "API": ip. Private to "ay": y.

"API" · 3 letters · shape VCV  ·  "ay" · 2 letters · shape VV

Frequently Asked Questions

Is swapping "API" for "ay" ever safe?
No - they are not even the same part of speech. "API" is a noun and "ay" an intj, so a sentence built for one is usually ungrammatical with the other.
In ordinary Spanish text, does "API" or "ay" show up more?
"ay" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #1,538 in our Spanish list, against #19,027 for "API". That is a wide gap, so in ordinary text the rarer spelling is the one worth double-checking.

What to do next

Pronunciation already separates them, if the page still looks alike, the dictionary links below settle it.

  • Full dictionary entry for "API" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
  • Full dictionary entry for "ay" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
  • This pair ranks #258,759 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
  • "API" and "ay" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "API vs apis". Nearby pair

Confusion rank #258,759 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