eternavsexternoWhat's the difference?

Which to use

“eterna” and “externo” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#6,182
“eterna” frequency rank
#6,672
“externo” frequency rank
12854
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature eterna externo
Definition Forma del femenino de eterno. Que se encuentra o tiene lugar en el exterior

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set eterna and externo apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

6 ch
eterna
7 ch
externo

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

eterna and externo 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 12854, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

eterna is recorded at frequency rank #6,182, classified as anadj, pronounced [eˈt̪eɾna]. externo is at rank #6,672, tagged as anadj, pronounced [eksˈt̪eɾno].

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 12854, this pair ranks #290,005 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Frequency comparison

eterna#6,182
externo#6,672

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "eterna" and "externo" be used interchangeably?
No, "eterna" and "externo" have distinct meanings and cannot be swapped without changing the meaning of a sentence. Understanding the specific definition and context for each word is essential for correct usage.

Remembering eterna vs externo

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

  • Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
  • See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “eterna” entry
  • Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list