Which to use
“lie” and “lies” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #25,700
- “lie” frequency rank
- #48,504
- “lies” frequency rank
- 74204
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | lie | lies |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Primera persona del singular (yo) del pretérito perfecto simple de indicativo de liar o de liarse. | Segunda persona del singular (vos) del presente de subjuntivo de liar o de liarse. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set lie and lies apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. lie ([ˈlje]) and lies ([ˈljes]) 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 extra letter(s) - “lie” sits inside “lies”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 74204, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
lie is recorded at frequency rank #25,700, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈlje]. lies is at rank #48,504, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈljes].
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 74204, this pair ranks #21,754 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.
Orthographic DNA of lie vs lies
Shared letters: eil. Private to "lie": -. Private to "lies": s.
"lie" · 3 letters · shape CVV · "lies" · 4 letters · shape CVVC
Known mistypes of this pair
- lies ← iles · leis · liess · lise · llies
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "lie" and "lies" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "lie" or "lies"?
Remembering lie vs lies
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 “lie” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable