numeralvsnúmeroWhat's the difference?

Quick tell: numeral is a adjective, número is a noun, so they fill different roles in a sentence.

Which to use

“numeral” is an adjective and “número” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.

#24,577
“numeral” frequency rank
#282
“número” frequency rank
24859
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature numeral número
Definition Que pertenece o concierne a los números o la numeración. Cantidad con relación a su unidad.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set numeral and número apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

7 ch
numeral
6 ch
número

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: numeral is [numeˈɾal] while número is [ˈnumeɾo]. 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 (adjective vs noun), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 24859, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

numeral is recorded at frequency rank #24,577, classified as anadj, pronounced [numeˈɾal]. número is at rank #282, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈnumeɾo].

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 24859, this pair ranks #239,168 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of numeral vs número

Shared letters: emnr. Private to "numeral": alu. Private to "número": .

"numeral" · 7 letters · shape CVCVCVC  ·  "número" · 6 letters · shape CVCVCV

Known mistypes of this pair

  • numeralnmueral · nnumeral · nuemral · numearl · numerall · numerla · numerral · nummeral

Frequency comparison

numeral#24,577
número#282

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "numeral" and "número" be used interchangeably?
No - they are not even the same part of speech. "numeral" is an adjective and "número" a noun, so a sentence built for one is usually ungrammatical with the other.
Which is more common, "numeral" or "número"?
"número" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #282 in our Spanish list, against #24,577 for "numeral". That is a wide gap, so in ordinary text the rarer spelling is the one worth double-checking.

Remembering numeral vs número

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

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