metesvsmiesWhat's the difference?

Quick tell: metes is a verb, mies is a noun, so they fill different roles in a sentence.

Which to use

“metes” is a verb and “mies” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.

#10,534
“metes” frequency rank
#37,727
“mies” frequency rank
48261
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature metes mies
Definition Segunda persona del singular (tú) del presente de indicativo de meter o de meterse. Cualquier espiga de cereal madura, lista para ser recolectada, de cuya semilla puede obtenerse harina para hacer pan, etc.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set metes and mies apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

5 ch
metes
4 ch
mies

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: metes is [ˈmet̪es] while mies is [ˈmjes]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (verb vs noun), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 48261, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

metes is recorded at frequency rank #10,534, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈmet̪es]. mies is at rank #37,727, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈmjes].

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 48261, this pair ranks #115,446 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of metes vs mies

Shared letters: ems. Private to "metes": t. Private to "mies": i.

"metes" · 5 letters · shape CVCVC  ·  "mies" · 4 letters · shape CVVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • metesemtes · meets · metess · metse · mettes · mmetes · mtees
  • miesimes · meis · miess · mise · mmies

Frequency comparison

metes#10,534
mies#37,727

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "metes" and "mies" be used interchangeably?
No - they are not even the same part of speech. "metes" is a verb and "mies" a noun, so a sentence built for one is usually ungrammatical with the other.
Which is more common, "metes" or "mies"?
"metes" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #10,534 in our Spanish list, against #37,727 for "mies". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering metes vs mies

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

  • Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “metes”; for a noun, it's “mies”.
  • See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “metes” 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