permitavspermitirWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#4,185
“permita” frequency rank
#2,411
“permitir” frequency rank
6596
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature permita permitir
Definition Primera persona del singular (yo) del presente de subjuntivo de permitir o de permitirse. Dar su consentimiento quien tenga autoridad competente, para que otros hagan de dejen de hacer algo.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set permita and permitir apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

7 ch
permita
8 ch
permitir

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

permita and permitir 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 1 letter(s) in length - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 6596, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

permita is recorded at frequency rank #4,185, classified as averb, pronounced [peɾˈmit̪a]. permitir is at rank #2,411, tagged as averb, pronounced [peɾmiˈt̪iɾ].

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 6596, this pair ranks #310,305 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Frequency comparison

permita#4,185
permitir#2,411

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "permita" and "permitir" be used interchangeably?
No, "permita" and "permitir" 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 permita vs permitir

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 “permita” 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