Which to use
“caí” is a verb and “chai” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #11,538
- “caí” frequency rank
- #43,454
- “chai” frequency rank
- 54992
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | caí | chai |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Primera persona del singular (yo) del pretérito perfecto simple de indicativo de caer o de caerse. | Bodega, cava |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set caí and chai 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: caí is [kaˈi] while chai is /ʃɛ/. 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 (verb vs noun), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 54992, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
caí is recorded at frequency rank #11,538, classified as averb, pronounced [kaˈi]. chai is at rank #43,454, tagged as anoun, pronounced /ʃɛ/.
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 54992, this pair ranks #80,871 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.
Orthographic DNA of caí vs chai
Shared letters: ac. Private to "caí": í. Private to "chai": hi.
"caí" · 3 letters · shape CVV · "chai" · 4 letters · shape CCVV
Known mistypes of this pair
- chai ← cahi · cchai · chhai · chia · hcai
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "caí" and "chai" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "caí" or "chai"?
Remembering caí vs chai
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “caí”; for a noun, it's “chai”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “caí” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable