Which to use
“quemar” and “quemarse” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #5,659
- “quemar” frequency rank
- #30,636
- “quemarse” frequency rank
- 36295
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | quemar | quemarse |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Prender fuego y hacer que la cosa arda hasta consumirse total o parcialmente. | Herirse o llagarse por efecto del fuego o del calor. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set quemar and quemarse 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. quemar ([keˈmaɾ]) and quemarse ([keˈmaɾse]) 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 2 extra letter(s) - “quemar” sits inside “quemarse”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 36295, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
quemar is recorded at frequency rank #5,659, classified as averb, pronounced [keˈmaɾ]. quemarse is at rank #30,636, tagged as averb, pronounced [keˈmaɾse].
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 36295, this pair ranks #181,387 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of quemar vs quemarse
Shared letters: aemqru. Private to "quemar": -. Private to "quemarse": s.
"quemar" · 6 letters · shape CVVCVC · "quemarse" · 8 letters · shape CVVCVCCV
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "quemar" and "quemarse" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "quemar" or "quemarse"?
Remembering quemar vs quemarse
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 “quemar” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable