Which to use
“gobierna” is a noun and “gobiernan” is a verb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #9,464
- “gobierna” frequency rank
- #15,631
- “gobiernan” frequency rank
- 25095
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | gobierna | gobiernan |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Pieza de metal, ordinariamente en forma de saeta, que se coloca en lo alto de las torres u otros edificios de modo que pueda girar alrededor de un eje vertical y señalar la dirección del viento. | Tercera persona del plural (ellos, ellas; ustedes, 2.ª persona) del presente de indicativo de gobernar o de gobernarse. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set gobierna and gobiernan apart are highlighted. They share 8 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: gobierna is [goˈβ̞jeɾna] while gobiernan is [goˈβ̞jeɾnãn]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 extra letter(s) - “gobierna” sits inside “gobiernan”, and the parts of speech differ too (noun vs verb), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 25095, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
gobierna is recorded at frequency rank #9,464, classified as anoun, pronounced [goˈβ̞jeɾna]. gobiernan is at rank #15,631, tagged as averb, pronounced [goˈβ̞jeɾnãn].
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 25095, this pair ranks #238,025 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of gobierna vs gobiernan
Shared letters: abeginor. Private to "gobierna": -. Private to "gobiernan": -.
"gobierna" · 8 letters · shape CVCVVCCV · "gobiernan" · 9 letters · shape CVCVVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "gobierna" and "gobiernan" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "gobierna" or "gobiernan"?
Remembering gobierna vs gobiernan
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a noun, it's “gobierna”; for a verb, it's “gobiernan”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “gobierna” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable