Which to use
“quedaba” and “quemaba” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #4,106
- “quedaba” frequency rank
- #38,331
- “quemaba” frequency rank
- 42437
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | quedaba | quemaba |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Primera persona del singular (yo) del pretérito imperfecto de indicativo de quedar o de quedarse. | Primera persona del singular (yo) del pretérito imperfecto de indicativo de quemar o de quemarse. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set quedaba and quemaba apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. quedaba ([keˈð̞aβ̞a]) and quemaba ([keˈmaβ̞a]) 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 a single letter - d in “quedaba” becomes m in “quemaba”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 42437, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
quedaba is recorded at frequency rank #4,106, classified as averb, pronounced [keˈð̞aβ̞a]. quemaba is at rank #38,331, tagged as averb, pronounced [keˈmaβ̞a].
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 42437, this pair ranks #148,210 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of quedaba vs quemaba
Shared letters: abequ. Private to "quedaba": d. Private to "quemaba": m.
"quedaba" · 7 letters · shape CVVCVCV · "quemaba" · 7 letters · shape CVVCVCV
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "quedaba" and "quemaba" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "quedaba" or "quemaba"?
Remembering quedaba vs quemaba
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 “quedaba” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable