Which to use
“retener” and “retienen” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #11,667
- “retener” frequency rank
- #31,965
- “retienen” frequency rank
- 43632
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | retener | retienen |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Hacer que alguien no se vaya o siga su camino, en contra de su voluntad. | Tercera persona del plural (ellos, ellas; ustedes, 2.ª persona) del presente de indicativo de retener. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set retener and retienen apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. retener ([ret̪eˈneɾ]) and retienen ([reˈt̪jenẽn]) 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 43632, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
retener is recorded at frequency rank #11,667, classified as averb, pronounced [ret̪eˈneɾ]. retienen is at rank #31,965, tagged as averb, pronounced [reˈt̪jenẽn].
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 43632, this pair ranks #141,571 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of retener vs retienen
Shared letters: enrt. Private to "retener": -. Private to "retienen": i.
"retener" · 7 letters · shape CVCVCVC · "retienen" · 8 letters · shape CVCVVCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "retener" and "retienen" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "retener" or "retienen"?
Remembering retener vs retienen
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 “retener” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable