Which to use
“compraba” is a verb and “compras” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #19,957
- “compraba” frequency rank
- #2,595
- “compras” frequency rank
- 22552
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | compraba | compras |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Primera persona del singular (yo) del pretérito imperfecto de indicativo de comprar. | Forma del plural de compra. |
Where the eye mixes compraba and compras
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 6 letters in sequence.
Look-alike desk: compraba vs compras
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: compraba is [kõmˈpɾaβ̞a] while compras is [ˈkõmpɾas]. 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 22552, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
compraba is recorded at frequency rank #19,957, classified as averb, pronounced [kõmˈpɾaβ̞a]. compras is at rank #2,595, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈkõmpɾas].
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 22552, this pair ranks #249,792 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of compraba vs compras
Shared letters: acmopr. Private to "compraba": b. Private to "compras": s.
"compraba" · 8 letters · shape CVCCCVCV · "compras" · 7 letters · shape CVCCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "compraba" and "compras" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "compraba" or "compras"?
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 "compraba" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "compras" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #249,792 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "compraba" and "compras" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "comportaba vs compraba". 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 #249,792 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.