pasanvspasandoWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#1,692
“pasan” frequency rank
#1,021
“pasando” frequency rank
2713
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature pasan pasando
Definition Tercera persona del plural (ellos, ellas; ustedes, 2.ª persona) del presente de indicativo de pasar. Gerundio de pasar.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set pasan and pasando apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

5 ch
pasan
7 ch
pasando

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

pasan and pasando 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 2 extra letter(s) - “pasan” sits inside “pasando” - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 2713, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

pasan is recorded at frequency rank #1,692, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈpasãn]. pasando is at rank #1,021, tagged as averb, pronounced [paˈsãn̪d̪o].

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 2713, this pair ranks #319,798 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Frequency comparison

pasan#1,692
pasando#1,021

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "pasan" and "pasando" be used interchangeably?
No, "pasan" and "pasando" 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 pasan vs pasando

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 “pasan” 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