Which to use
“pasivo” and “pésimo” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #10,897
- “pasivo” frequency rank
- #11,663
- “pésimo” frequency rank
- 22560
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | pasivo | pésimo |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Que recibe los efectos de una acción sin participar en ella. | Superlativo irregular de malo: sumamente malo. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set pasivo and pésimo apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. pasivo ([paˈsiβ̞o]) and pésimo ([ˈpesimo]) 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 22560, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
pasivo is recorded at frequency rank #10,897, classified as anadj, pronounced [paˈsiβ̞o]. pésimo is at rank #11,663, tagged as anadj, pronounced [ˈpesimo].
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 22560, this pair ranks #249,751 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of pasivo vs pésimo
Shared letters: iops. Private to "pasivo": av. Private to "pésimo": mé.
"pasivo" · 6 letters · shape CVCVCV · "pésimo" · 6 letters · shape CVCVCV
Known mistypes of this pair
- pasivo ← apsivo · pacivo · paisvo · pasibo · pasiov · pasivvo · passivo · pasvio
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "pasivo" and "pésimo" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "pasivo" or "pésimo"?
Remembering pasivo vs pésimo
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 “pasivo” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable