Which to use
“útil” and “útiles” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #2,279
- “útil” frequency rank
- #4,846
- “útiles” frequency rank
- 7125
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | útil | útiles |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Que sirve a un efecto. | Forma del plural de útil. |
Where the eye mixes útil and útiles
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 4 letters in sequence.
Visual trap between útil and útiles
A purely visual mix-up. útil ([ˈut̪il]) and útiles ([ˈut̪iles]) 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 2 extra letter(s) - “útil” sits inside “útiles”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 7125, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
útil is recorded at frequency rank #2,279, classified as anadj, pronounced [ˈut̪il]. útiles is at rank #4,846, tagged as anadj, pronounced [ˈut̪iles].
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 7125, this pair ranks #308,855 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of útil vs útiles
Shared letters: iltú. Private to "útil": -. Private to "útiles": es.
"útil" · 4 letters · shape VCVC · "útiles" · 6 letters · shape VCVCVC
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "útil" and "útiles" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "útil" or "útiles"?
Useful next steps
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "útil" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "útiles" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #308,855 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "útil" and "útiles" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "ubi vs útil". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #308,855 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.