Which to use
“fate” is an adjective and “fíjate” is a verb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #42,443
- “fate” frequency rank
- #9,126
- “fíjate” frequency rank
- 51569
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | fate | fíjate |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Vanidosa, forma femenina singular del adjetivo fat. | Segunda persona del singular (tú) del imperativo afirmativo de fijarse (con el pronombre enclítico). |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set fate and fíjate apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: fate is [fat] while fíjate is [ˈfixat̪e]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 2 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (adjective vs verb), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 51569, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
fate is recorded at frequency rank #42,443, classified as anadj, pronounced [fat]. fíjate is at rank #9,126, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈfixat̪e].
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 51569, this pair ranks #97,237 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of fate vs fíjate
Shared letters: aeft. Private to "fate": -. Private to "fíjate": jí.
"fate" · 4 letters · shape CVCV · "fíjate" · 6 letters · shape CVCVCV
Known mistypes of this pair
- fate ← afte · faet · fatte · ffate · ftae
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "fate" and "fíjate" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "fate" or "fíjate"?
Remembering fate vs fíjate
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need an adjective, it's “fate”; for a verb, it's “fíjate”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “fate” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable