Which to use
“mataban” and “matan” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #27,682
- “mataban” frequency rank
- #4,920
- “matan” frequency rank
- 32602
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | mataban | matan |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Tercera persona del plural (ellos, ellas; ustedes, 2.ª persona) del pretérito imperfecto de indicativo de matar. | Tercera persona del plural (ellos, ellas; ustedes, 2.ª persona) del presente de indicativo de matar o de matarse. |
Where the eye mixes mataban and matan
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 5 letters in sequence. mataban runs 7 letters (CVCVCVC) against matan's 5 (CVCVC) - the length gap alone is often enough to separate them once you know to check it.
Why the eye confuses mataban with matan
A purely visual mix-up. mataban ([maˈt̪aβ̞ãn]) and matan ([ˈmat̪ãn]) 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 2 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 32602, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
mataban is recorded at frequency rank #27,682, classified as averb, pronounced [maˈt̪aβ̞ãn]. matan is at rank #4,920, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈmat̪ãn].
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 32602, this pair ranks #201,132 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of mataban vs matan
Shared letters: amnt. Private to "mataban": b. Private to "matan": -.
"mataban" · 7 letters · shape CVCVCVC · "matan" · 5 letters · shape CVCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "mataban" and "matan" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "mataban" or "matan"?
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 "mataban" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "matan" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #201,132 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "mataban" and "matan" 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 #201,132 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.