Which to use
“fem” is a num and “feo” is an adjective - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #41,915
- “fem” frequency rank
- #3,556
- “feo” frequency rank
- 45471
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | fem | feo |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Cinco. | Que carece de belleza o hermosura. |
Where the eye mixes fem and feo
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 2 letters in sequence.
Why the eye confuses fem with feo
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: fem is [fɛmˀ] while feo is [ˈfeo]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by a single letter - m in “fem” becomes o in “feo”, and the parts of speech differ too (num vs adjective), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 45471, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
fem is recorded at frequency rank #41,915, classified as anum, pronounced [fɛmˀ]. feo is at rank #3,556, tagged as anadj, pronounced [ˈfeo].
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 45471, this pair ranks #131,266 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of fem vs feo
Shared letters: ef. Private to "fem": m. Private to "feo": o.
"fem" · 3 letters · shape CVC · "feo" · 3 letters · shape CVV
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "fem" and "feo" be used interchangeably?
In ordinary Spanish text, does "fem" or "feo" show up more?
After this comparison
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "fem" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "feo" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #131,266 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "fem" and "feo" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "fem vs fuer". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #131,266 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.