Which to use
“key” is a noun and “ko” is a pronoun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #18,292
- “key” frequency rank
- #15,405
- “ko” frequency rank
- 33697
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | key | ko |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Llave. | Este, esta. Pronombre y adjetivo demostrativo usado para una entidad presente. |
Where the eye mixes key and ko
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 1 letter in sequence.
Why the eye confuses key with ko
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: key is [kiː] while ko is /ˈko/. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (noun vs pronoun), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 33697, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
key is recorded at frequency rank #18,292, classified as anoun, pronounced [kiː]. ko is at rank #15,405, tagged as apron, pronounced /ˈko/.
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 33697, this pair ranks #195,387 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of key vs ko
Shared letters: k. Private to "key": ey. Private to "ko": o.
"key" · 3 letters · shape CVV · "ko" · 2 letters · shape CV
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "key" for "ko" ever safe?
Which is more common, "key" or "ko"?
What to do next
Pronunciation already separates them, if the page still looks alike, the dictionary links below settle it.
- Full dictionary entry for "key" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "ko" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #195,387 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "key" and "ko" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "coo vs ko". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #195,387 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.