ModestavsmolestaWhat's the difference?

Quick tell: Modesta is a name, molesta is a verb, so they fill different roles in a sentence.

Which to use

“Modesta” is a name and “molesta” is a verb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.

#15,167
“Modesta” frequency rank
#2,459
“molesta” frequency rank
17626
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Modesta molesta
Definition Nombre de pila de mujer. Tercera persona del singular (él, ella, ello; usted, 2.ª persona) del presente de indicativo de molestar.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Modesta and molesta apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

7 ch
Modesta
7 ch
molesta

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

Modesta and molesta form a confusable pair in the Spanish index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They differ by a single letter - d in “Modesta” becomes l in “molesta” - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 17626, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Modesta is recorded at frequency rank #15,167, classified as aname, pronounced [moˈð̞est̪a]. molesta is at rank #2,459, tagged as averb, pronounced [moˈlest̪a].

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 17626, this pair ranks #271,364 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Frequency comparison

Modesta#15,167
molesta#2,459

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Modesta" and "molesta" be used interchangeably?
No, "Modesta" and "molesta" have distinct meanings and cannot be swapped without changing the meaning of a sentence. Understanding the specific definition and context for each word is essential for correct usage.

Remembering Modesta vs molesta

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

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