Which to use
“picado” and “pícara” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #12,669
- “picado” frequency rank
- #46,151
- “pícara” frequency rank
- 58820
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | picado | pícara |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Epíteto del patrón que se hace con picaduras para señalar un dibujo. | Forma del femenino singular de pícaro. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set picado and pícara apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. picado ([piˈkað̞o]) and pícara ([ˈpikaɾa]) 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 3 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 58820, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
picado is recorded at frequency rank #12,669, classified as anadj, pronounced [piˈkað̞o]. pícara is at rank #46,151, tagged as anadj, pronounced [ˈpikaɾa].
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 58820, this pair ranks #65,021 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.
Orthographic DNA of picado vs pícara
Shared letters: acp. Private to "picado": dio. Private to "pícara": rí.
"picado" · 6 letters · shape CVCVCV · "pícara" · 6 letters · shape CVCVCV
Known mistypes of this pair
- picado ← ipcado · pciado · piacdo · picaddo · picaod · piccado · picdao · ppicado
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "picado" and "pícara" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "picado" or "pícara"?
Remembering picado vs pícara
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 “picado” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable