Which to use
“barato” is an adjective and “batata” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #4,217
- “barato” frequency rank
- #36,426
- “batata” frequency rank
- 40643
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | barato | batata |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Dicho de algo que se compra o vende a bajo precio. | (Ipomoea batatas) Planta herbácea de la familia de las convolvuláceas, de origen latinoamericano y extensamente cultivada por su raíz tuberosa, empleada en gastronomía. Es una enredadera perenne, de hojas cordiformes o palmatilobuladas, alternas, pecioladas, y flores simpétalas, pentámeras, de buen tamaño y muy atractivas. La raíz es larga y fusiforme, con la piel pardorrojiza a púrpura, y pulpa similarmente variable. Cultivada en América desde la época precolombina, llegó a Europa en el siglo XVI y se ha difundido ampliamente en todo el mundo. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set barato and batata apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: barato is [baˈɾat̪o] while batata is [baˈt̪at̪a]. 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 (adjective vs noun), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 40643, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
barato is recorded at frequency rank #4,217, classified as anadj, pronounced [baˈɾat̪o]. batata is at rank #36,426, tagged as anoun, pronounced [baˈt̪at̪a].
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 40643, this pair ranks #157,984 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of barato vs batata
Shared letters: abt. Private to "barato": or. Private to "batata": -.
"barato" · 6 letters · shape CVCVCV · "batata" · 6 letters · shape CVCVCV
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "barato" and "batata" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "barato" or "batata"?
Remembering barato vs batata
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need an adjective, it's “barato”; for a noun, it's “batata”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “barato” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable