utilizadavsutilizarWhat's the difference?

Quick tell: utilizada is a participle, utilizar is a verb, so they fill different roles in a sentence.

Which to use

“utilizada” is a participle and “utilizar” is a verb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.

#4,387
“utilizada” frequency rank
#1,707
“utilizar” frequency rank
6094
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature utilizada utilizar
Definition Forma del femenino de utilizado, participio de utilizar. Ayudarse con una herramienta, objeto o servicio para obtener un resultado

Where the spellings diverge

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

9 ch
utilizada
8 ch
utilizar

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: utilizada is [ut̪iliˈsað̞a] while utilizar is [ut̪iliˈsaɾ]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (participle vs verb), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 6094, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

utilizada is recorded at frequency rank #4,387, classified as aparticiple, pronounced [ut̪iliˈsað̞a]. utilizar is at rank #1,707, tagged as averb, pronounced [ut̪iliˈsaɾ].

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 6094, this pair ranks #311,777 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of utilizada vs utilizar

Shared letters: ailtuz. Private to "utilizada": d. Private to "utilizar": r.

"utilizada" · 9 letters · shape VCVCVCVCV  ·  "utilizar" · 8 letters · shape VCVCVCVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • utilizadatuilizada · uitlizada · utiilzada · utiliazda · utilizaad · utilizadda · utilizdaa · utilizzada
  • utilizartuilizar · uitlizar · utiilzar · utiliazr · utilizarr · utilizra · utilizzar · utillizar

Frequency comparison

utilizada#4,387
utilizar#1,707

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "utilizada" and "utilizar" be used interchangeably?
No - they are not even the same part of speech. "utilizada" is a participle and "utilizar" a verb, so a sentence built for one is usually ungrammatical with the other.
Which is more common, "utilizada" or "utilizar"?
"utilizar" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #1,707 in our Spanish list, against #4,387 for "utilizada". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering utilizada vs utilizar

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

  • Check the role first: if you need a participle, it's “utilizada”; for a verb, it's “utilizar”.
  • See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “utilizada” 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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list