similarvssimulanWhat's the difference?

Quick tell: similar is a adjective, simulan is a verb, so they fill different roles in a sentence.

Which to use

“similar” is an adjective and “simulan” is a verb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.

#1,274
“similar” frequency rank
#49,275
“simulan” frequency rank
50549
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature similar simulan
Definition Que tiene características comunes. Tercera persona del plural (ellos, ellas; ustedes, 2.ª persona) del presente de indicativo de simular.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set similar and simulan apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

7 ch
similar
7 ch
simulan

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: similar is [simiˈlaɾ] while simulan is [siˈmulãn]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions, and the parts of speech differ too (adjective vs verb), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 50549, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

similar is recorded at frequency rank #1,274, classified as anadj, pronounced [simiˈlaɾ]. simulan is at rank #49,275, tagged as averb, pronounced [siˈmulãn].

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 50549, this pair ranks #102,610 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of similar vs simulan

Shared letters: ailms. Private to "similar": r. Private to "simulan": nu.

"similar" · 7 letters · shape CVCVCVC  ·  "simulan" · 7 letters · shape CVCVCVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • similarcimilar · ismilar · siimlar · simialr · similarr · simillar · similra · simliar
  • simulancimulan · ismulan · simluan · simmulan · simualn · simulann · simullan · simulna

Frequency comparison

similar#1,274
simulan#49,275

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "similar" and "simulan" be used interchangeably?
No - they are not even the same part of speech. "similar" is an adjective and "simulan" a verb, so a sentence built for one is usually ungrammatical with the other.
Which is more common, "similar" or "simulan"?
"similar" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #1,274 in our Spanish list, against #49,275 for "simulan". That is a wide gap, so in ordinary text the rarer spelling is the one worth double-checking.

Remembering similar vs simulan

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

  • Check the role first: if you need an adjective, it's “similar”; for a verb, it's “simulan”.
  • See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “similar” 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