quemevsquererWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#22,163
“queme” frequency rank
#1,558
“querer” frequency rank
23721
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature queme querer
Definition Primera persona del singular (yo) del presente de subjuntivo de quemar o de quemarse. Tener el deseo de hacer algo.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set queme and querer apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

5 ch
queme
6 ch
querer

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. queme ([ˈkeme]) and querer ([keˈɾeɾ]) 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 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 23721, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

queme is recorded at frequency rank #22,163, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈkeme]. querer is at rank #1,558, tagged as averb, pronounced [keˈɾeɾ].

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 23721, this pair ranks #244,455 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of queme vs querer

Shared letters: equ. Private to "queme": m. Private to "querer": r.

"queme" · 5 letters · shape CVVCV  ·  "querer" · 6 letters · shape CVVCVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • quemeqeume · qqueme · queem · quemme · qumee · uqeme
  • quererqeurer · qquerer · queerr · quererr · querre · querrer · qureer · uqerer

Frequency comparison

queme#22,163
querer#1,558

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "queme" and "querer" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈkeme] versus [keˈɾeɾ]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "queme" or "querer"?
"querer" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #1,558 in our Spanish list, against #22,163 for "queme". That is a wide gap, so in ordinary text the rarer spelling is the one worth double-checking.

Remembering queme vs querer

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 “queme” 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