Which to use
“mai” is an adverb and “mi” is an adjective - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #14,397
- “mai” frequency rank
- #29
- “mi” frequency rank
- 14426
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | mai | mi |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Jamás o nunca. | Adjetivo posesivo de la primera persona singular; de mí. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set mai and mi apart are highlighted. They share 2 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
mai and mi form a confusable pair in the Spanish index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They differ by 1 letter(s) in length - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 14426, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
mai is recorded at frequency rank #14,397, classified as anadv, pronounced [ˈmaj]. mi is at rank #29, tagged as anadj, pronounced [mi].
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 14426, this pair ranks #284,154 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "mai" and "mi" be used interchangeably?
Remembering mai vs mi
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need an adverb, it's “mai”; for an adjective, it's “mi”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “mai” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable