Which to use
“pecar” and “pesar” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #27,714
- “pecar” frequency rank
- #526
- “pesar” frequency rank
- 28240
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | pecar | pesar |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Obrar en contra de ciertas reglas o normas éticas o mandamientos religiosos; cometer un pecado o una infracción; transgredir una prohibición moral. | Establecer el peso o la masa de algo, en particular empleando un instrumento para tal efecto. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set pecar and pesar apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
pecar and pesar 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 a single letter - c in “pecar” becomes s in “pesar” - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 28240, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
pecar is recorded at frequency rank #27,714, classified as averb, pronounced [peˈkaɾ]. pesar is at rank #526, tagged as averb, pronounced [peˈsaɾ].
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 28240, this pair ranks #222,976 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "pecar" and "pesar" be used interchangeably?
Remembering pecar vs pesar
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 “pecar” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable