Which to use
“1” is an article and “un” is an adjective - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #98
- “1” frequency rank
- #12
- “un” frequency rank
- 110
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | 1 | un |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Un, une. | Marque l’unité, le fait qu’une personne ou une chose est seule, unique en son espèce. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set 1 and un apart are highlighted. They share no common letter run, the confusion here is by sound, not by sight.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
Say them out loud and nothing separates them: 1 and un carry the same recorded pronunciation, \œ̃\. Grammar is what tells them apart: one is anarticle, the other anadjective, so most sentences will only accept one of them. They differ by 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 110, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
1 is recorded at frequency rank #98, classified as anarticle, pronounced \œ̃\. un is at rank #12, tagged as anadj, pronounced \œ̃\.
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 110, this pair ranks #440,090 of 440,172 scored French confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of 1 vs un
Shared letters: none. Private to "1": -. Private to "un": nu.
"1" · 0 letters · shape · "un" · 2 letters · shape VC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "1" and "un" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "1" or "un"?
Remembering 1 vs un
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need an article, it's “1”; for an adjective, it's “un”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “1” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable