Which to use
“espalda” is a noun and “estalla” is a verb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #1,985
- “espalda” frequency rank
- #19,106
- “estalla” frequency rank
- 21091
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | espalda | estalla |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | 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. | Tercera persona del singular (él, ella, ello; usted, 2.ª persona) del presente de indicativo de estallar. |
Where the eye mixes espalda and estalla
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 5 letters in sequence. espalda and estalla follow the identical consonant-vowel pattern (VCCVCCV). Same shape at a glance is often the real trap, independent of shared letters.
Why the eye confuses espalda with estalla
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: espalda is [esˈpal̪d̪a] while estalla is [esˈt̪aʝa]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions, and the parts of speech differ too (noun vs verb), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 21091, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
espalda is recorded at frequency rank #1,985, classified as anoun, pronounced [esˈpal̪d̪a]. estalla is at rank #19,106, tagged as averb, pronounced [esˈt̪aʝa].
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 21091, this pair ranks #256,460 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of espalda vs estalla
Shared letters: aels. Private to "espalda": dp. Private to "estalla": t.
"espalda" · 7 letters · shape VCCVCCV · "estalla" · 7 letters · shape VCCVCCV
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Do "espalda" and "estalla" mean the same thing in a sentence?
Which is more common, "espalda" or "estalla"?
After this comparison
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "espalda" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "estalla" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #256,460 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "espalda" and "estalla" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "estalla vs estanca". 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 #256,460 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.