Which to use
“existían” and “existir” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #7,996
- “existían” frequency rank
- #3,119
- “existir” frequency rank
- 11115
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | existían | existir |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Tercera persona del plural (ellos, ellas; ustedes, 2.ª persona) del pretérito imperfecto de indicativo de existir. | Tener realidad; ser real o verdadero; tener existencia. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set existían and existir apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
existían and existir 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 11115, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
existían is recorded at frequency rank #7,996, classified as averb, pronounced [eksisˈt̪iãn]. existir is at rank #3,119, tagged as averb, pronounced [eksisˈt̪iɾ].
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 11115, this pair ranks #296,215 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "existían" and "existir" be used interchangeably?
Remembering existían vs existir
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 “existían” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable