máquinavsmaquinasWhat's the difference?

Quick tell: máquina is a noun, maquinas is a verb, so they fill different roles in a sentence.

Which to use

“máquina” is a noun and “maquinas” is a verb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.

#2,356
“máquina” frequency rank
#16,152
“maquinas” frequency rank
18508
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature máquina maquinas
Definition Aparato compuesto de varias partes que interactúan para la ejecución de determinada tarea que requiere cierta energía. Segunda persona del singular (tú) del presente de indicativo de maquinar.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set máquina and maquinas apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

7 ch
máquina
8 ch
maquinas

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

máquina and maquinas 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 18508, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

máquina is recorded at frequency rank #2,356, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈmakina]. maquinas is at rank #16,152, tagged as averb, pronounced [maˈkinas].

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 18508, this pair ranks #267,642 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Frequency comparison

máquina#2,356
maquinas#16,152

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "máquina" and "maquinas" be used interchangeably?
No, "máquina" and "maquinas" have distinct meanings and cannot be swapped without changing the meaning of a sentence. Understanding the specific definition and context for each word is essential for correct usage.

Remembering máquina vs maquinas

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

  • Check the role first: if you need a noun, it's “máquina”; for a verb, it's “maquinas”.
  • See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “máquina” 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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list