Which to use
“recado” and “regalo” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #31,086
- “recado” frequency rank
- #1,878
- “regalo” frequency rank
- 32964
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | recado | regalo |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Acción o efecto de recadar. | Cosa que se da de forma voluntaria y gratuita. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set recado and regalo apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. recado ([reˈkað̞o]) and regalo ([reˈɣ̞alo]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 32964, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
recado is recorded at frequency rank #31,086, classified as anoun, pronounced [reˈkað̞o]. regalo is at rank #1,878, tagged as anoun, pronounced [reˈɣ̞alo].
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 32964, this pair ranks #199,278 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of recado vs regalo
Shared letters: aeor. Private to "recado": cd. Private to "regalo": gl.
"recado" · 6 letters · shape CVCVCV · "regalo" · 6 letters · shape CVCVCV
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "recado" and "regalo" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "recado" or "regalo"?
Remembering recado vs regalo
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 “recado” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable