gobiernavsgobiernosWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#9,464
“gobierna” frequency rank
#1,731
“gobiernos” frequency rank
11195
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature gobierna gobiernos
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. Forma del plural de gobierno.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set gobierna and gobiernos apart are highlighted. They share 7 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

8 ch
gobierna
9 ch
gobiernos

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. gobierna ([goˈβ̞jeɾna]) and gobiernos ([goˈβ̞jeɾnos]) 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 11195, 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]. gobiernos is at rank #1,731, tagged as anoun, pronounced [goˈβ̞jeɾnos].

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 11195, this pair ranks #295,956 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of gobierna vs gobiernos

Shared letters: beginor. Private to "gobierna": a. Private to "gobiernos": s.

"gobierna" · 8 letters · shape CVCVVCCV  ·  "gobiernos" · 9 letters · shape CVCVVCCVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • gobiernagboierna · ggobierna · gobbierna · gobeirna · gobienra · gobieran · gobiernna · gobierrna
  • gobiernosgboiernos · ggobiernos · gobbiernos · gobeirnos · gobienros · gobiernnos · gobiernoss · gobiernso

Frequency comparison

gobierna#9,464
gobiernos#1,731

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "gobierna" and "gobiernos" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([goˈβ̞jeɾna] versus [goˈβ̞jeɾnos]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "gobierna" or "gobiernos"?
"gobiernos" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #1,731 in our Spanish list, against #9,464 for "gobierna". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering gobierna vs gobiernos

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 “gobierna” 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