matastevsmirasteWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#30,148
“mataste” frequency rank
#44,318
“miraste” frequency rank
74466
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature mataste miraste
Definition Segunda persona del singular (tú, vos) del pretérito perfecto simple de indicativo de matar o de matarse. Segunda persona del singular (tú, vos) del pretérito perfecto simple de indicativo de mirar o de mirarse.

Where the spellings diverge

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

7 ch
mataste
7 ch
miraste

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. mataste ([maˈt̪ast̪e]) and miraste ([miˈɾast̪e]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 74466, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

mataste is recorded at frequency rank #30,148, classified as averb, pronounced [maˈt̪ast̪e]. miraste is at rank #44,318, tagged as averb, pronounced [miˈɾast̪e].

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 74466, this pair ranks #21,269 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.

Orthographic DNA of mataste vs miraste

Shared letters: aemst. Private to "mataste": -. Private to "miraste": ir.

"mataste" · 7 letters · shape CVCVCCV  ·  "miraste" · 7 letters · shape CVCVCCV

Known mistypes of this pair

  • matasteamtaste · maatste · mataset · matasste · matastte · matatse · matsate · mattaste
  • mirasteimraste · miarste · miraset · mirasste · mirastte · miratse · mirraste · mirsate

Frequency comparison

mataste#30,148
miraste#44,318

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "mataste" and "miraste" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([maˈt̪ast̪e] versus [miˈɾast̪e]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "mataste" or "miraste"?
"mataste" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #30,148 in our Spanish list, against #44,318 for "miraste". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering mataste vs miraste

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 “mataste” 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