Which to use
“para” is a preposition and “Per” is a name - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #18
- “para” frequency rank
- #3,203
- “Per” frequency rank
- 3221
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | para | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Indica el objetivo o finalidad de la acción. | Pedro. Nombre propio de hombre. |
Where the eye mixes para and Per
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 2 letters in sequence.
Why the eye confuses para with Per
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: para is [ˈpaɾa] while Per is [ˈpæːr]. 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 (preposition vs name), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 3221, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
para is recorded at frequency rank #18, classified as aprep, pronounced [ˈpaɾa]. Per is at rank #3,203, tagged as aname, pronounced [ˈpæːr].
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 3221, this pair ranks #318,788 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of para vs Per
Shared letters: pr. Private to "para": a. Private to "Per": e.
"para" · 4 letters · shape CVCV · "Per" · 3 letters · shape CVC
Known mistypes of this pair
- para ← apra · paar · ppara · praa
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "para" and "Per" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "para" or "Per"?
After this comparison
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "para" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "Per" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #318,788 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "para" and "Per" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "Per vs prey". Nearby pair
- Recorded mistypes exist for at least one side of this pair, useful when a spell-checker or OCR lands on the wrong form. See mistypes
Confusion rank #318,788 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.