Which to use
“ser” is a verb and “sí” is an adverb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #39
- “ser” frequency rank
- #146
- “sí” frequency rank
- 185
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | ser | sí |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Tener algo una determinada naturaleza, propiedad o cualidad estable. | Palabra usada para expresar afirmación. |
Where the eye mixes ser and sí
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 1 letter in sequence.
Look-alike desk: ser vs sí
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: ser is [ˈseɾ] while sí is [ˈsi]. 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 (verb vs adverb), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 185, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
ser is recorded at frequency rank #39, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈseɾ]. sí is at rank #146, tagged as anadv, pronounced [ˈsi].
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 185, this pair ranks #323,686 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of ser vs sí
Shared letters: s. Private to "ser": er. Private to "sí": í.
"ser" · 3 letters · shape CVC · "sí" · 2 letters · shape CV
Frequently Asked Questions
Do "ser" and "sí" mean the same thing in a sentence?
Which is more common, "ser" or "sí"?
After this comparison
Pronunciation already separates them, if the page still looks alike, the dictionary links below settle it.
- Full dictionary entry for "ser" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "sí" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #323,686 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "ser" and "sí" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "ser vs stem". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #323,686 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.