extrañovsextremoWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#1,289
“extraño” frequency rank
#2,397
“extremo” frequency rank
3686
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature extraño extremo
Definition Dicho de una persona, que es ajeno a nuestra familia, grupo social, nación. Superlativo irregular de exterior: sumamente exterior.

Where the spellings diverge

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

7 ch
extraño
7 ch
extremo

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

extraño and extremo form a confusable pair in the Spanish index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 3686, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

extraño is recorded at frequency rank #1,289, classified as anadj, pronounced [eksˈt̪ɾaɲo]. extremo is at rank #2,397, tagged as anadj, pronounced [eksˈt̪ɾemo].

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 3686, this pair ranks #317,779 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Frequency comparison

extraño#1,289
extremo#2,397

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "extraño" and "extremo" be used interchangeably?
No, "extraño" and "extremo" 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 extraño vs extremo

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 “extraño” 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