Which to use
“unían” is a verb and “única” is an adjective - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #36,867
- “unían” frequency rank
- #599
- “única” frequency rank
- 37466
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | unían | única |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Tercera persona del plural (ellos, ellas; ustedes, 2.ª persona) del pretérito imperfecto de indicativo de unir o de unirse. | Forma del femenino singular de único. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set unían and única apart are highlighted. They share 2 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: unían is [uˈniãn] while única is [ˈunika]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they share most of their letters but differ in 4 positions, and the parts of speech differ too (verb vs adjective), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 37466, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
unían is recorded at frequency rank #36,867, classified as averb, pronounced [uˈniãn]. única is at rank #599, tagged as anadj, pronounced [ˈunika].
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 37466, this pair ranks #175,158 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of unían vs única
Shared letters: an. Private to "unían": uí. Private to "única": ciú.
"unían" · 5 letters · shape VCVVC · "única" · 5 letters · shape VCVCV
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "unían" and "única" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "unían" or "única"?
Remembering unían vs única
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “unían”; for an adjective, it's “única”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “unían” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable