Which to use
“eternos” and “externo” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #18,247
- “eternos” frequency rank
- #6,672
- “externo” frequency rank
- 24919
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | eternos | externo |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Forma del plural de eterno. | Que se encuentra o tiene lugar en el exterior |
Where the eye mixes eternos and externo
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 6 letters in sequence. eternos (VCVCCVC) and externo (VCCVCCV) run the same length but a different consonant-vowel pattern - the shape difference is usually the fastest tell.
Why the eye confuses eternos with externo
A purely visual mix-up. eternos ([eˈt̪eɾnos]) and externo ([eksˈt̪eɾno]) 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 6 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 24919, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
eternos is recorded at frequency rank #18,247, classified as anadj, pronounced [eˈt̪eɾnos]. 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 24919, this pair ranks #238,891 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of eternos vs externo
Shared letters: enort. Private to "eternos": s. Private to "externo": x.
"eternos" · 7 letters · shape VCVCCVC · "externo" · 7 letters · shape VCCVCCV
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "eternos" and "externo" be used interchangeably?
Frequency check: "eternos" vs "externo" - which ranks higher?
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 "eternos" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "externo" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #238,891 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "eternos" and "externo" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "esteros vs eternos". 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 #238,891 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.