laovsletConfusable pair

Which to use

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

#22,079
“lao” frequency rank
#16,630
“let” frequency rank
38709
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature lao let
Definition Que pertenece o concierne a la etnia mayoritaria de Laos Ligero.

Where the eye mixes lao and let

Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 1 letter in sequence.

3 ch
lao
3 ch
let

Why the eye confuses lao with let

A purely visual mix-up. lao ([ˈlao]) and let ([lɛd]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 38709, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

lao is recorded at frequency rank #22,079, classified as anadj, pronounced [ˈlao]. let is at rank #16,630, tagged as anadj, pronounced [lɛd].

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 38709, this pair ranks #168,522 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of lao vs let

Shared letters: l. Private to "lao": ao. Private to "let": et.

"lao" · 3 letters · shape CVV  ·  "let" · 3 letters · shape CVC

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "lao" and "let" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈlao] versus [lɛd]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "lao" or "let"?
"let" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #16,630 in our Spanish list, against #22,079 for "lao". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

What to do next

Pronunciation already separates them, if the page still looks alike, the dictionary links below settle it.

  • Full dictionary entry for "lao" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
  • Full dictionary entry for "let" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
  • This pair ranks #168,522 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
  • "lao" and "let" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "lac vs lao". Nearby pair

Confusion rank #168,522 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list