Which to use
“espada” and “espalda” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #3,781
- “espada” frequency rank
- #1,985
- “espalda” frequency rank
- 5766
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | espada | espalda |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Arma blanca que consiste en una hoja de metal larga, aguda y cortante; guarnición y empuñadura. | Parte posterior del cuerpo humano que va de la base del cuello y hombros al trasero. Está opuesta al pecho y su altura viene dada por la columna vertebral o espinal dorsal. Su anchura va en función de la caja torácica y los hombros. |
Where the eye mixes espada and espalda
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 6 letters in sequence.
Why the eye confuses espada with espalda
A purely visual mix-up. espada ([esˈpað̞a]) and espalda ([esˈpal̪d̪a]) 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 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 5766, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
espada is recorded at frequency rank #3,781, classified as anoun, pronounced [esˈpað̞a]. espalda is at rank #1,985, tagged as anoun, pronounced [esˈpal̪d̪a].
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 5766, this pair ranks #312,716 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of espada vs espalda
Shared letters: adeps. Private to "espada": -. Private to "espalda": l.
"espada" · 6 letters · shape VCCVCV · "espalda" · 7 letters · shape VCCVCCV
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "espada" and "espalda" be used interchangeably?
In ordinary Spanish text, does "espada" or "espalda" show up more?
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 "espada" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "espalda" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #312,716 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "espada" and "espalda" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "Eslava vs espada". 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 #312,716 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.