Which to use
“hao” is an intj and “how” is an adverb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #40,863
- “hao” frequency rank
- #10,867
- “how” frequency rank
- 51730
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | hao | how |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Se usaba para llamar a uno que estuviese distante. | Cómo. |
Where the eye mixes hao and how
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 2 letters in sequence.
Why the eye confuses hao with how
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: hao is [ˈao] while how is /haʊ/. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions, and the parts of speech differ too (intj vs adverb), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 51730, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
hao is recorded at frequency rank #40,863, classified as anintj, pronounced [ˈao]. how is at rank #10,867, tagged as anadv, pronounced /haʊ/.
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 51730, this pair ranks #96,356 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of hao vs how
Shared letters: ho. Private to "hao": a. Private to "how": w.
"hao" · 3 letters · shape CVV · "how" · 3 letters · shape CVC
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "hao" for "how" ever safe?
Frequency check: "hao" vs "how" - which ranks higher?
What to do next
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "hao" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "how" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #96,356 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "hao" and "how" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "Hahn vs hao". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #96,356 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.