Which to use
“estar” is a verb and “este” is an adjective - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #148
- “estar” frequency rank
- #31
- “este” frequency rank
- 179
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | estar | este |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Existir, hallarse alguien o algo con cierta permanencia y estabilidad en este o aquel lugar, situación, condición o modo actual de ser. | Se emplea para indicar o señalar algo o a alguien próximo al hablante, o referirse a algo que se acaba de mencionar. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set estar and este apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
estar and este form a confusable pair in the Spanish index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They differ by 1 letter(s) in length - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 179, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
estar is recorded at frequency rank #148, classified as averb, pronounced [esˈt̪aɾ]. este is at rank #31, tagged as anadj, pronounced [ˈest̪e].
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 179, this pair ranks #323,697 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "estar" and "este" be used interchangeably?
Remembering estar vs este
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “estar”; for an adjective, it's “este”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “estar” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable