Which to use
“mariposa” and “mariposas” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #9,495
- “mariposa” frequency rank
- #13,286
- “mariposas” frequency rank
- 22781
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | mariposa | mariposas |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | (Orden Lepidoptera) Cualquiera de muchos millares de especies de insectos lepidópteros, característicos en su forma adulta (imago) por poseer alas de gran tamaño en relación al cuerpo y con frecuencia de vistoso colorido. Son holometabólicos, atravesando una etapa de larva (oruga) áptera tras la eclosión del huevo, una fase de crisálida intermedia, y finalmente la imago; pese a la extendida creencia en la brevedad de su vida, su ciclo vital depende de la especie, variando entre pocas horas y un año, más aún considerando los períodos de dormancia de la pupa. Los adultos se alimentan primariamente libando néctar floral. La distinción entre mariposas y polillas se basa en la apariencia, y no en criterios taxonómicos, que las consideran partes de un mismo grupo. | Forma del plural de mariposa. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set mariposa and mariposas apart are highlighted. They share 8 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. mariposa ([maɾiˈposa]) and mariposas ([maɾiˈposas]) 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) - “mariposa” sits inside “mariposas”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 22781, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
mariposa is recorded at frequency rank #9,495, classified as anoun, pronounced [maɾiˈposa]. mariposas is at rank #13,286, tagged as anoun, pronounced [maɾiˈposas].
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 22781, this pair ranks #248,764 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of mariposa vs mariposas
Shared letters: aimoprs. Private to "mariposa": -. Private to "mariposas": -.
"mariposa" · 8 letters · shape CVCVCVCV · "mariposas" · 9 letters · shape CVCVCVCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "mariposa" and "mariposas" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "mariposa" or "mariposas"?
Remembering mariposa vs mariposas
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 “mariposa” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable