Which to use
“utilizaba” and “utilizan” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #16,472
- “utilizaba” frequency rank
- #2,809
- “utilizan” frequency rank
- 19281
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | utilizaba | utilizan |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Primera persona del singular (yo) del pretérito imperfecto de indicativo de utilizar. | Tercera persona del plural (ellos, ellas; ustedes, 2.ª persona) del presente de indicativo de utilizar. |
Where the eye mixes utilizaba and utilizan
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 7 letters in sequence. utilizaba runs 9 letters (VCVCVCVCV) against utilizan's 8 (VCVCVCVC) - the length gap alone is often enough to separate them once you know to check it.
Look-alike desk: utilizaba vs utilizan
A purely visual mix-up. utilizaba ([ut̪iliˈsaβ̞a]) and utilizan ([ut̪iˈlisãn]) 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 19281, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
utilizaba is recorded at frequency rank #16,472, classified as averb, pronounced [ut̪iliˈsaβ̞a]. utilizan is at rank #2,809, tagged as averb, pronounced [ut̪iˈlisãn].
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 19281, this pair ranks #264,427 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of utilizaba vs utilizan
Shared letters: ailtuz. Private to "utilizaba": b. Private to "utilizan": n.
"utilizaba" · 9 letters · shape VCVCVCVCV · "utilizan" · 8 letters · shape VCVCVCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "utilizaba" for "utilizan" ever safe?
Which is more common, "utilizaba" or "utilizan"?
After this comparison
Pronunciation already separates them, if the page still looks alike, the dictionary links below settle it.
- Full dictionary entry for "utilizaba" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "utilizan" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #264,427 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "utilizaba" and "utilizan" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "utilizaba vs utilizaría". Nearby pair
- Recorded mistypes exist for at least one side of this pair, useful when a spell-checker or OCR lands on the wrong form. See mistypes
Confusion rank #264,427 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.