Which to use
“va” and “vi” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #98
- “va” frequency rank
- #543
- “vi” frequency rank
- 641
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | va | vi |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Tercera persona del singular (él, ella, ello; usted, 2.ª persona) del presente de indicativo de ir. | Primera persona del singular (yo) del pretérito perfecto simple de indicativo de ver o de verse. |
Where the eye mixes va and vi
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 1 letter in sequence.
Visual trap between va and vi
A purely visual mix-up. va ([ˈba]) and vi ([ˈbi]) 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 a single letter - a in “va” becomes i in “vi”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 641, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
va is recorded at frequency rank #98, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈba]. vi is at rank #543, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈbi].
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 641, this pair ranks #323,155 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of va vs vi
Shared letters: v. Private to "va": a. Private to "vi": i.
"va" · 2 letters · shape CV · "vi" · 2 letters · shape CV
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "va" for "vi" ever safe?
Which is more common, "va" or "vi"?
After this comparison
Eye-level mix-up between "va" and "vi" is sorted above. Next: full entries or other pairs that share a letter shape.
- Full dictionary entry for "va" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "vi" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #323,155 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "va" and "vi" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "vi vs VOR". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #323,155 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.