Which to use
“mataba” and “mataban” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #23,131
- “mataba” frequency rank
- #27,682
- “mataban” frequency rank
- 50813
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | mataba | mataban |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Primera persona del singular (yo) del pretérito imperfecto de indicativo de matar o de matarse. | Tercera persona del plural (ellos, ellas; ustedes, 2.ª persona) del pretérito imperfecto de indicativo de matar. |
Where the eye mixes mataba and mataban
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 6 letters in sequence.
Look-alike desk: mataba vs mataban
A purely visual mix-up. mataba ([maˈt̪aβ̞a]) and mataban ([maˈt̪aβ̞ãn]) 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) - “mataba” sits inside “mataban”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 50813, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
mataba is recorded at frequency rank #23,131, classified as averb, pronounced [maˈt̪aβ̞a]. mataban is at rank #27,682, tagged as averb, pronounced [maˈt̪aβ̞ãn].
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 50813, this pair ranks #101,224 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of mataba vs mataban
Shared letters: abmt. Private to "mataba": -. Private to "mataban": n.
"mataba" · 6 letters · shape CVCVCV · "mataban" · 7 letters · shape CVCVCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "mataba" for "mataban" ever safe?
Frequency check: "mataba" vs "mataban" - which ranks higher?
What to do next
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "mataba" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "mataban" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #101,224 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "mataba" and "mataban" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "mataban vs matarían". Nearby pair
- Recorded mistypes exist for at least one side of this pair, useful when a spell-checker or OCR lands on the wrong form. See mistypes
Confusion rank #101,224 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.