Which to use
“estás” and “estén” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #401
- “estás” frequency rank
- #1,448
- “estén” frequency rank
- 1849
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | estás | estén |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Segunda persona del singular (tú, vos) del presente de indicativo de estar o de estarse. | Tercera persona del plural (ellos, ellas; ustedes, 2.ª persona) del presente de subjuntivo de estar o de estarse. |
Where the eye mixes estás and estén
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 3 letters in sequence.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. estás ([esˈt̪as]) and estén ([esˈt̪ẽn]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 1849, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
estás is recorded at frequency rank #401, classified as averb, pronounced [esˈt̪as]. estén is at rank #1,448, tagged as averb, pronounced [esˈt̪ẽn].
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 1849, this pair ranks #321,383 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of estás vs estén
Shared letters: est. Private to "estás": á. Private to "estén": né.
"estás" · 5 letters · shape VCCVC · "estén" · 5 letters · shape VCCVC
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "estás" and "estén" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "estás" or "estén"?
What to do next
You've compared "estás" and "estén". Here's where to go from here.
- Full dictionary entry for "estás" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "estén" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #321,383 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "estás" and "estén" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "estás vs estepas". Nearby pair
PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.