fichasvsfilasWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#9,121
“fichas” frequency rank
#4,897
“filas” frequency rank
14018
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature fichas filas
Definition Forma del plural de ficha. Forma del plural de fila.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set fichas and filas apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

6 ch
fichas
5 ch
filas

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. fichas ([ˈfit͡ʃas]) and filas ([ˈfilas]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 14018, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

fichas is recorded at frequency rank #9,121, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈfit͡ʃas]. filas is at rank #4,897, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈfilas].

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 14018, this pair ranks #285,699 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of fichas vs filas

Shared letters: afis. Private to "fichas": ch. Private to "filas": l.

"fichas" · 6 letters · shape CVCCVC  ·  "filas" · 5 letters · shape CVCVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • fichasfcihas · ffichas · ficahs · ficchas · fichass · fichhas · fichsa · fihcas
  • filasffilas · fials · filass · fillas · filsa · flias · iflas

Frequency comparison

fichas#9,121
filas#4,897

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "fichas" and "filas" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈfit͡ʃas] versus [ˈfilas]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "fichas" or "filas"?
"filas" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #4,897 in our Spanish list, against #9,121 for "fichas". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering fichas vs filas

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 “fichas” 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