mecánicasvsmetálicasWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#16,381
“mecánicas” frequency rank
#19,800
“metálicas” frequency rank
36181
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature mecánicas metálicas
Definition Forma del femenino plural de mecánico. Forma del femenino plural de metálico.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set mecánicas and metálicas apart are highlighted. They share 7 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

9 ch
mecánicas
9 ch
metálicas

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. mecánicas ([meˈkanikas]) and metálicas ([meˈt̪alikas]) 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 36181, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

mecánicas is recorded at frequency rank #16,381, classified as anadj, pronounced [meˈkanikas]. metálicas is at rank #19,800, tagged as anadj, pronounced [meˈt̪alikas].

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 36181, this pair ranks #182,029 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of mecánicas vs metálicas

Shared letters: aceimsá. Private to "mecánicas": n. Private to "metálicas": lt.

"mecánicas" · 9 letters · shape CVCVCVCVC  ·  "metálicas" · 9 letters · shape CVCVCVCVC

Frequency comparison

mecánicas#16,381
metálicas#19,800

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "mecánicas" and "metálicas" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([meˈkanikas] versus [meˈt̪alikas]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "mecánicas" or "metálicas"?
"mecánicas" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #16,381 in our Spanish list, against #19,800 for "metálicas". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering mecánicas vs metálicas

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 “mecánicas” 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