tratabavstratabanWhat's the difference?

Which to use

“trataba” and “trataban” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#3,371
“trataba” frequency rank
#13,369
“trataban” frequency rank
16740
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature trataba trataban
Definition Primera persona del singular (yo) del pretérito imperfecto de indicativo de tratar. Tercera persona del plural (ellos, ellas; ustedes, 2.ª persona) del pretérito imperfecto de indicativo de tratar.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set trataba and trataban apart are highlighted. They share 7 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

7 ch
trataba
8 ch
trataban

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. trataba ([t̪ɾaˈt̪aβ̞a]) and trataban ([t̪ɾaˈt̪aβ̞ãn]) 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 extra letter(s) - “trataba” sits inside “trataban”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 16740, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

trataba is recorded at frequency rank #3,371, classified as averb, pronounced [t̪ɾaˈt̪aβ̞a]. trataban is at rank #13,369, tagged as averb, pronounced [t̪ɾaˈt̪aβ̞ãn].

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 16740, this pair ranks #274,954 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of trataba vs trataban

Shared letters: abrt. Private to "trataba": -. Private to "trataban": n.

"trataba" · 7 letters · shape CCVCVCV  ·  "trataban" · 8 letters · shape CCVCVCVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • tratabartataba · tartaba · traatba · trataab · tratabba · tratava · tratbaa · trattaba
  • tratabanrtataban · tartaban · traatban · trataabn · tratabann · tratabban · tratabna · tratavan

Frequency comparison

trataba#3,371
trataban#13,369

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "trataba" and "trataban" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([t̪ɾaˈt̪aβ̞a] versus [t̪ɾaˈt̪aβ̞ãn]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "trataba" or "trataban"?
"trataba" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #3,371 in our Spanish list, against #13,369 for "trataban". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering trataba vs trataban

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 “trataba” 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