Which to use
“compra” is a noun and “compren” is a verb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #1,368
- “compra” frequency rank
- #16,295
- “compren” frequency rank
- 17663
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | compra | compren |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Acción o resultado de comprar. | Tercera persona del plural (ellos, ellas; ustedes, 2.ª persona) del presente de subjuntivo de comprar. |
Where the eye mixes compra and compren
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 5 letters in sequence.
Look-alike desk: compra vs compren
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: compra is [ˈkõmpɾa] while compren is [ˈkõmpɾẽn]. 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 (noun vs verb), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 17663, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
compra is recorded at frequency rank #1,368, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈkõmpɾa]. compren is at rank #16,295, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈkõmpɾẽn].
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 17663, this pair ranks #271,231 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of compra vs compren
Shared letters: cmopr. Private to "compra": a. Private to "compren": en.
"compra" · 6 letters · shape CVCCCV · "compren" · 7 letters · shape CVCCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "compra" and "compren" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "compra" or "compren"?
Useful next steps
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "compra" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "compren" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #271,231 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "compra" and "compren" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "comporten vs compren". Nearby pair
- Recorded mistypes exist for at least one side of this pair, useful when a spell-checker or OCR lands on the wrong form. See mistypes
Confusion rank #271,231 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.