ranvsrobWhat's the difference?

Quick tell: ran is a verb, rob is a noun, so they fill different roles in a sentence.

Which to use

“ran” is a verb and “rob” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.

#24,290
“ran” frequency rank
#12,919
“rob” frequency rank
37209
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature ran rob
Definition Pasado simple (irregular) del verbo (to) run. Jugo o pulpa de fruta, cocida con azúcar o miel hasta tomar densidad de almíbar.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set ran and rob apart are highlighted. They share 1 letter in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

3 ch
ran
3 ch
rob

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

ran and rob form a confusable pair in the Spanish index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 37209, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

ran is recorded at frequency rank #24,290, classified as averb, pronounced /ɹæn/. rob is at rank #12,919, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈroβ̞].

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 37209, this pair ranks #176,529 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Frequency comparison

ran#24,290
rob#12,919

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "ran" and "rob" be used interchangeably?
No, "ran" and "rob" have distinct meanings and cannot be swapped without changing the meaning of a sentence. Understanding the specific definition and context for each word is essential for correct usage.

Remembering ran vs rob

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

  • Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “ran”; for a noun, it's “rob”.
  • See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “ran” 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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list