matanvsmataránWhat's the difference?

Which to use

“matan” and “matarán” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#4,920
“matan” frequency rank
#47,256
“matarán” frequency rank
52176
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature matan matarán
Definition Tercera persona del plural (ellos, ellas; ustedes, 2.ª persona) del presente de indicativo de matar o de matarse. Tercera persona del plural (ellos, ellas; ustedes, 2.ª persona) del futuro de indicativo de matar o de matarse.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set matan and matarán apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

5 ch
matan
7 ch
matarán

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. matan ([ˈmat̪ãn]) and matarán ([mat̪aˈɾãn]) 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 52176, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

matan is recorded at frequency rank #4,920, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈmat̪ãn]. matarán is at rank #47,256, tagged as averb, pronounced [mat̪aˈɾãn].

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 52176, this pair ranks #94,019 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of matan vs matarán

Shared letters: amnt. Private to "matan": -. Private to "matarán": .

"matan" · 5 letters · shape CVCVC  ·  "matarán" · 7 letters · shape CVCVCVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • matanamtan · maatn · matann · matna · mattan · mmatan · mtaan

Frequency comparison

matan#4,920
matarán#47,256

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "matan" and "matarán" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈmat̪ãn] versus [mat̪aˈɾãn]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "matan" or "matarán"?
"matan" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #4,920 in our Spanish list, against #47,256 for "matarán". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering matan vs matarán

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 “matan” 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