Which to use
“bei” is a preposition and “bir” is a num - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #35,376
- “bei” frequency rank
- #48,247
- “bir” frequency rank
- 83623
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | bei | bir |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Cerca de, junto a. | Uno, un. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set bei and bir apart are highlighted. They share 2 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: bei is [baɪ] while bir is [bir]. 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 (preposition vs num), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 83623, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
bei is recorded at frequency rank #35,376, classified as aprep, pronounced [baɪ]. bir is at rank #48,247, tagged as anum, pronounced [bir].
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 83623, this pair ranks #7,936 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.
Orthographic DNA of bei vs bir
Shared letters: bi. Private to "bei": e. Private to "bir": r.
"bei" · 3 letters · shape CVV · "bir" · 3 letters · shape CVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "bei" and "bir" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "bei" or "bir"?
Remembering bei vs bir
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a preposition, it's “bei”; for a num, it's “bir”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “bei” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable