singlevssinglesWhat's the difference?

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

Which to use

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

#10,761
“single” frequency rank
#23,953
“singles” frequency rank
34714
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature single singles
Definition Dícese de cualquier cabo que laborea sencillo, como la braza, el amantillo, etc. cuando uno de sus chicotes está hecho firme en el peñol de la verga. Segunda persona del singular (tú) del presente de subjuntivo de singlar.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set single and singles apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

6 ch
single
7 ch
singles

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

single and singles form a confusable pair in the Spanish index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They differ by 1 extra letter(s) - “single” sits inside “singles” - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 34714, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

single is recorded at frequency rank #10,761, classified as anadj, pronounced [ˈsĩŋgle]. singles is at rank #23,953, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈsĩŋgles].

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 34714, this pair ranks #189,962 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Frequency comparison

single#10,761
singles#23,953

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "single" and "singles" be used interchangeably?
No, "single" and "singles" 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 single vs singles

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

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