Which to use
“tíos” and “tos” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #9,742
- “tíos” frequency rank
- #9,550
- “tos” frequency rank
- 19292
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | tíos | tos |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Forma del plural de tío. | Contracción espasmódica repentina y a veces repetitiva de la cavidad torácica que resulta en una liberación violenta del aire de los pulmones produciendo un sonido característico. |
Where the eye mixes tíos and tos
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 3 letters in sequence. tíos runs 4 letters (CVVC) against tos's 3 (CVC) - the length gap alone is often enough to separate them once you know to check it.
Why the eye confuses tíos with tos
A purely visual mix-up. tíos ([ˈt̪ios]) and tos ([ˈt̪os]) 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 19292, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
tíos is recorded at frequency rank #9,742, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈt̪ios]. tos is at rank #9,550, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈt̪os].
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 19292, this pair ranks #264,378 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of tíos vs tos
Shared letters: ost. Private to "tíos": í. Private to "tos": -.
"tíos" · 4 letters · shape CVVC · "tos" · 3 letters · shape CVC
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "tíos" and "tos" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "tíos" or "tos"?
After this comparison
Eye-level mix-up between "tíos" and "tos" is sorted above. Next: full entries or other pairs that share a letter shape.
- Full dictionary entry for "tíos" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "tos" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #264,378 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "tíos" and "tos" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "tíos vs toys". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #264,378 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.