Which to use
“bailar” and “bastar” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #2,965
- “bailar” frequency rank
- #38,524
- “bastar” frequency rank
- 41489
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | bailar | bastar |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Mover el cuerpo de forma rítmica, generalmente acompañado de música. | Ser suficiente y proporcionado para alguna cosa. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set bailar and bastar apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. bailar ([bajˈlaɾ]) and bastar ([basˈt̪aɾ]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 41489, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
bailar is recorded at frequency rank #2,965, classified as averb, pronounced [bajˈlaɾ]. bastar is at rank #38,524, tagged as averb, pronounced [basˈt̪aɾ].
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 41489, this pair ranks #153,352 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of bailar vs bastar
Shared letters: abr. Private to "bailar": il. Private to "bastar": st.
"bailar" · 6 letters · shape CVVCVC · "bastar" · 6 letters · shape CVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "bailar" and "bastar" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "bailar" or "bastar"?
Remembering bailar vs bastar
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 “bailar” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable