Which to use
“va” and “ven” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #98
- “va” frequency rank
- #730
- “ven” frequency rank
- 828
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | va | ven |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Tercera persona del singular (él, ella, ello; usted, 2.ª persona) del presente de indicativo de ir. | Segunda persona del singular (tú) del imperativo afirmativo de venir. |
Where the eye mixes va and ven
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 1 letter in sequence.
Look-alike desk: va vs ven
A purely visual mix-up. va ([ˈba]) and ven ([ˈbẽn]) 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 828, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
va is recorded at frequency rank #98, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈba]. ven is at rank #730, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈbẽn].
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 828, this pair ranks #322,908 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of va vs ven
Shared letters: v. Private to "va": a. Private to "ven": en.
"va" · 2 letters · shape CV · "ven" · 3 letters · shape CVC
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "va" for "ven" ever safe?
In ordinary Spanish text, does "va" or "ven" show up more?
After this comparison
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "va" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "ven" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #322,908 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "va" and "ven" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "ven vs VOR". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #322,908 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.