códigovscódigosWhat's the difference?

Which to use

“código” and “códigos” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#935
“código” frequency rank
#5,942
“códigos” frequency rank
6877
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature código códigos
Definition En la teoría de la comunicación, es el conjunto de rasgos que tiene el mensaje para que pueda ser entendido por el emisor y el receptor. Forma del plural de código.

Where the eye mixes código and códigos

Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 6 letters in sequence.

6 ch
código
7 ch
códigos

Why the eye confuses código with códigos

A purely visual mix-up. código ([ˈkoð̞iɣ̞o]) and códigos ([ˈkoð̞iɣ̞os]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by 1 extra letter(s) - “código” sits inside “códigos”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 6877, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

código is recorded at frequency rank #935, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈkoð̞iɣ̞o]. códigos is at rank #5,942, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈkoð̞iɣ̞os].

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 6877, this pair ranks #309,566 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of código vs códigos

Shared letters: cdgioó. Private to "código": -. Private to "códigos": s.

"código" · 6 letters · shape CVCVCV  ·  "códigos" · 7 letters · shape CVCVCVC

Frequently Asked Questions

Do "código" and "códigos" mean the same thing in a sentence?
No. They are said differently ([ˈkoð̞iɣ̞o] versus [ˈkoð̞iɣ̞os]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Frequency check: "código" vs "códigos" - which ranks higher?
"código" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #935 in our Spanish list, against #5,942 for "códigos". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

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 "código" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
  • Full dictionary entry for "códigos" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
  • This pair ranks #309,566 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
  • "código" and "códigos" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "códigos vs cogidos". Nearby pair

Confusion rank #309,566 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list