Which to use
“ocurría” and “ocurrir” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #13,302
- “ocurría” frequency rank
- #4,628
- “ocurrir” frequency rank
- 17930
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | ocurría | ocurrir |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Primera persona del singular (yo) del pretérito imperfecto de indicativo de ocurrir. | Aparecer algo sin una causa determinada, producirse espontáneamente. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set ocurría and ocurrir apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. ocurría ([okuˈria]) and ocurrir ([okuˈriɾ]) 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 17930, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
ocurría is recorded at frequency rank #13,302, classified as averb, pronounced [okuˈria]. ocurrir is at rank #4,628, tagged as averb, pronounced [okuˈriɾ].
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 17930, this pair ranks #270,033 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of ocurría vs ocurrir
Shared letters: coru. Private to "ocurría": aí. Private to "ocurrir": i.
"ocurría" · 7 letters · shape VCVCCVV · "ocurrir" · 7 letters · shape VCVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
- ocurrir ← courrir · occurrir · ocrurir · ocurir · ocurirr · ocurrirr · ocurrri · oucrrir
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "ocurría" and "ocurrir" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "ocurría" or "ocurrir"?
Remembering ocurría vs ocurrir
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 “ocurría” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable