matanvsmetíanWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#4,920
“matan” frequency rank
#40,394
“metían” frequency rank
45314
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature matan metían
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 pretérito imperfecto de indicativo de meter o de meterse.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set matan and metían apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

5 ch
matan
6 ch
metían

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. matan ([ˈmat̪ãn]) and metían ([meˈt̪iãn]) 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 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 45314, 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]. metían is at rank #40,394, tagged as averb, pronounced [meˈt̪iãn].

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 45314, this pair ranks #132,134 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of matan vs metían

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

"matan" · 5 letters · shape CVCVC  ·  "metían" · 6 letters · shape CVCVVC

Known mistypes of this pair

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

Frequency comparison

matan#4,920
metían#40,394

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "matan" and "metían" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈmat̪ãn] versus [meˈt̪iãn]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "matan" or "metían"?
"matan" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #4,920 in our Spanish list, against #40,394 for "metían". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering matan vs metían

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