Which to use
“bir” is a num and “bis” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #48,247
- “bir” frequency rank
- #15,023
- “bis” frequency rank
- 63270
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | bir | bis |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Uno, un. | Repetición de un espectáculo o actuación. |
Where the eye mixes bir and bis
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 2 letters in sequence.
Why the eye confuses bir with bis
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: bir is [bir] while bis is [ˈbis]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by a single letter - r in “bir” becomes s in “bis”, and the parts of speech differ too (num vs noun), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 63270, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
bir is recorded at frequency rank #48,247, classified as anum, pronounced [bir]. bis is at rank #15,023, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈbis].
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 63270, this pair ranks #49,298 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.
Orthographic DNA of bir vs bis
Shared letters: bi. Private to "bir": r. Private to "bis": s.
"bir" · 3 letters · shape CVC · "bis" · 3 letters · shape CVC
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "bir" for "bis" ever safe?
Frequency check: "bir" vs "bis" - which ranks higher?
What to do next
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "bir" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "bis" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #49,298 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "bir" and "bis" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "bir vs brie". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #49,298 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.