Which to use
“patas” and “pays” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #4,734
- “patas” frequency rank
- #42,064
- “pays” frequency rank
- 46798
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | patas | pays |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Forma del plural de pata. | País. |
Where the eye mixes patas and pays
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 3 letters in sequence.
Why the eye confuses patas with pays
A purely visual mix-up. patas ([ˈpat̪as]) and pays (/pɛi/) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 46798, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
patas is recorded at frequency rank #4,734, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈpat̪as]. pays is at rank #42,064, tagged as anoun, pronounced /pɛi/.
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 46798, this pair ranks #123,665 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of patas vs pays
Shared letters: aps. Private to "patas": t. Private to "pays": y.
"patas" · 5 letters · shape CVCVC · "pays" · 4 letters · shape CVVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Do "patas" and "pays" mean the same thing in a sentence?
Which is more common, "patas" or "pays"?
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 "patas" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "pays" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #123,665 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "patas" and "pays" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "pa'l vs pays". 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 #123,665 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.