lástimavslastraWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#3,571
“lástima” frequency rank
#37,186
“lastra” frequency rank
40757
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature lástima lastra
Definition Sentimiento doloroso que causan en el alma los padecimientos y desgracias de otros. Piedra plana que sale de la cantera en hojas planas y de poco grueso, a manera de tablas.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set lástima and lastra apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

7 ch
lástima
6 ch
lastra

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. lástima ([ˈlast̪ima]) and lastra ([ˈlast̪ɾa]) 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 40757, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

lástima is recorded at frequency rank #3,571, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈlast̪ima]. lastra is at rank #37,186, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈlast̪ɾa].

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 40757, this pair ranks #157,372 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of lástima vs lastra

Shared letters: alst. Private to "lástima": imá. Private to "lastra": r.

"lástima" · 7 letters · shape CVCCVCV  ·  "lastra" · 6 letters · shape CVCCCV

Known mistypes of this pair

  • lastraalstra · lasrta · lasstra · lastar · lastrra · lasttra · latsra · llastra

Frequency comparison

lástima#3,571
lastra#37,186

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "lástima" and "lastra" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈlast̪ima] versus [ˈlast̪ɾa]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "lástima" or "lastra"?
"lástima" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #3,571 in our Spanish list, against #37,186 for "lastra". That is a wide gap, so in ordinary text the rarer spelling is the one worth double-checking.

Remembering lástima vs lastra

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 “lástima” 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