Which to use
“lao” is an adjective and “lo” is an article - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #22,079
- “lao” frequency rank
- #19
- “lo” frequency rank
- 22098
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | lao | lo |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Que pertenece o concierne a la etnia mayoritaria de Laos | Artículo determinado de género neutro que se usa para sustantivar adjetivos o frases. Forma del neutro de el. |
Where the eye mixes lao and lo
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 2 letters in sequence.
Why the eye confuses lao with lo
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: lao is [ˈlao] while lo is [lo]. 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 (adjective vs article), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 22098, 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]. lo is at rank #19, tagged as anarticle, pronounced [lo].
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 22098, this pair ranks #251,937 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of lao vs lo
Shared letters: lo. Private to "lao": a. Private to "lo": -.
"lao" · 3 letters · shape CVV · "lo" · 2 letters · shape CV
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "lao" and "lo" be used interchangeably?
Frequency check: "lao" vs "lo" - which ranks higher?
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 "lo" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #251,937 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "lao" and "lo" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "lac vs lao". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #251,937 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.