Which to use
“raíz” is a noun and “ran” is a verb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #2,901
- “raíz” frequency rank
- #24,290
- “ran” frequency rank
- 27191
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | raíz | ran |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Causa de algo. | Pasado simple (irregular) del verbo (to) run. |
Where the eye mixes raíz and ran
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 2 letters in sequence.
Look-alike desk: raíz vs ran
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: raíz is [raˈis] while ran is /ɹæn/. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (noun vs verb), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 27191, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
raíz is recorded at frequency rank #2,901, classified as anoun, pronounced [raˈis]. ran is at rank #24,290, tagged as averb, pronounced /ɹæn/.
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 27191, this pair ranks #228,035 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of raíz vs ran
Shared letters: ar. Private to "raíz": zí. Private to "ran": n.
"raíz" · 4 letters · shape CVVC · "ran" · 3 letters · shape CVC
Frequently Asked Questions
Do "raíz" and "ran" mean the same thing in a sentence?
Which is more common, "raíz" or "ran"?
What to do next
Pronunciation already separates them, if the page still looks alike, the dictionary links below settle it.
- Full dictionary entry for "raíz" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "ran" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #228,035 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "raíz" and "ran" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "rajo vs ran". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #228,035 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.