Which to use
“Per” is a name and “pi” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #3,203
- “Per” frequency rank
- #9,175
- “pi” frequency rank
- 12378
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Per | pi |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Pedro. Nombre propio de hombre. | Decimosexta letra del alfabeto griego (Π, π). |
Where the eye mixes Per and pi
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 1 letter in sequence.
Visual trap between Per and pi
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: Per is [ˈpæːr] while pi is [ˈpi]. 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 (name vs noun), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 12378, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Per is recorded at frequency rank #3,203, classified as aname, pronounced [ˈpæːr]. pi is at rank #9,175, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈpi].
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 12378, this pair ranks #291,766 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of Per vs pi
Shared letters: p. Private to "Per": er. Private to "pi": i.
"Per" · 3 letters · shape CVC · "pi" · 2 letters · shape CV
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "Per" for "pi" ever safe?
In ordinary Spanish text, does "Per" or "pi" show up more?
Useful next steps
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "Per" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "pi" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #291,766 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "Per" and "pi" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "pi vs PRC". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #291,766 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.