vesvsviConfusable pair

Which to use

“ves” and “vi” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#1,048
“ves” frequency rank
#543
“vi” frequency rank
1591
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature ves vi
Definition Segunda persona del singular (tú, vos) del presente de indicativo de ver o de verse. Primera persona del singular (yo) del pretérito perfecto simple de indicativo de ver o de verse.

Where the eye mixes ves and vi

Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 1 letter in sequence.

3 ch
ves
2 ch
vi

Look-alike desk: ves vs vi

A purely visual mix-up. ves ([ˈbes]) 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 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 1591, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

ves is recorded at frequency rank #1,048, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈbes]. 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 1591, this pair ranks #321,781 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of ves vs vi

Shared letters: v. Private to "ves": es. Private to "vi": i.

"ves" · 3 letters · shape CVC  ·  "vi" · 2 letters · shape CV

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "ves" and "vi" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈbes] versus [ˈbi]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "ves" or "vi"?
"vi" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #543 in our Spanish list, against #1,048 for "ves". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

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 "ves" 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 #321,781 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
  • "ves" and "vi" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "ves vs VOR". Nearby pair

Confusion rank #321,781 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list