Which to use
“raíz” and “ray” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #2,901
- “raíz” frequency rank
- #6,350
- “ray” frequency rank
- 9251
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | raíz | ray |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Causa de algo. | Rayo. |
Where the eye mixes raíz and ray
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 2 letters in sequence.
Look-alike desk: raíz vs ray
A purely visual mix-up. raíz ([raˈis]) and ray (/ɹeɪ/) 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 9251, 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]. ray is at rank #6,350, tagged as anoun, pronounced /ɹeɪ/.
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 9251, this pair ranks #302,501 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of raíz vs ray
Shared letters: ar. Private to "raíz": zí. Private to "ray": y.
"raíz" · 4 letters · shape CVVC · "ray" · 3 letters · shape CVV
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "raíz" and "ray" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "raíz" or "ray"?
After this comparison
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 "ray" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #302,501 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "raíz" and "ray" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "rajo vs ray". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #302,501 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.