mostrabavsmostrarWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#8,285
“mostraba” frequency rank
#2,124
“mostrar” frequency rank
10409
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature mostraba mostrar
Definition Primera persona del singular (yo) del pretérito imperfecto de indicativo de mostrar. Hacer ver algo.

Where the spellings diverge

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

8 ch
mostraba
7 ch
mostrar

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. mostraba ([mosˈt̪ɾaβ̞a]) and mostrar ([mosˈt̪ɾaɾ]) 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 10409, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

mostraba is recorded at frequency rank #8,285, classified as averb, pronounced [mosˈt̪ɾaβ̞a]. mostrar is at rank #2,124, tagged as averb, pronounced [mosˈt̪ɾaɾ].

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 10409, this pair ranks #298,712 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of mostraba vs mostrar

Shared letters: amorst. Private to "mostraba": b. Private to "mostrar": -.

"mostraba" · 8 letters · shape CVCCCVCV  ·  "mostrar" · 7 letters · shape CVCCCVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • mostrabammostraba · mosrtaba · mosstraba · mostarba · mostraab · mostrabba · mostrava · mostrbaa
  • mostrarmmostrar · mosrtar · mosstrar · mostarr · mostrarr · mostrra · mostrrar · mosttrar

Frequency comparison

mostraba#8,285
mostrar#2,124

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "mostraba" and "mostrar" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([mosˈt̪ɾaβ̞a] versus [mosˈt̪ɾaɾ]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "mostraba" or "mostrar"?
"mostrar" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #2,124 in our Spanish list, against #8,285 for "mostraba". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering mostraba vs mostrar

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 “mostraba” 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