Which to use
“emplear” is a verb and “empleo” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #8,653
- “emplear” frequency rank
- #1,310
- “empleo” frequency rank
- 9963
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | emplear | empleo |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Ocupar a uno encargándole algún negocio o puesto. | Acción o efecto de emplear |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set emplear and empleo apart are highlighted. They share 5 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: emplear is [ẽmpleˈaɾ] while empleo is [ẽmˈpleo]. 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 9963, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
emplear is recorded at frequency rank #8,653, classified as averb, pronounced [ẽmpleˈaɾ]. empleo is at rank #1,310, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ẽmˈpleo].
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 9963, this pair ranks #300,278 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of emplear vs empleo
Shared letters: elmp. Private to "emplear": ar. Private to "empleo": o.
"emplear" · 7 letters · shape VCCCVVC · "empleo" · 6 letters · shape VCCCVV
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "emplear" and "empleo" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "emplear" or "empleo"?
Remembering emplear vs empleo
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “emplear”; for a noun, it's “empleo”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “emplear” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable