Which to use
“marías” is a noun and “máximas” is an adjective - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #26,919
- “marías” frequency rank
- #13,965
- “máximas” frequency rank
- 40884
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | marías | máximas |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Forma del plural de maría. | Forma del femenino plural de máximo. |
Where the eye mixes marías and máximas
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 3 letters in sequence. marías runs 6 letters (CVCVVC) against máximas's 7 (CVCVCVC) - the length gap alone is often enough to separate them once you know to check it.
Why the eye confuses marías with máximas
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: marías is [maˈɾias] while máximas is [ˈmaksimas]. 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 (noun vs adjective), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 40884, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
marías is recorded at frequency rank #26,919, classified as anoun, pronounced [maˈɾias]. máximas is at rank #13,965, tagged as anadj, pronounced [ˈmaksimas].
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 40884, this pair ranks #156,672 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of marías vs máximas
Shared letters: ams. Private to "marías": rí. Private to "máximas": ixá.
"marías" · 6 letters · shape CVCVVC · "máximas" · 7 letters · shape CVCVCVC
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "marías" and "máximas" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "marías" or "máximas"?
Useful next steps
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "marías" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "máximas" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #156,672 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "marías" and "máximas" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "marías vs Marks". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #156,672 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.