Which to use
“coi” is an adjective and “quoi” is a pronoun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #40,676
- “coi” frequency rank
- #123
- “quoi” frequency rank
- 40799
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | coi | quoi |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Qui est calme, tranquille. | Quelle chose, dans la fonction d’objet. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set coi and quoi apart are highlighted. They share 2 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
Say them out loud and nothing separates them: coi and quoi carry the same recorded pronunciation, \kwa\. Grammar is what tells them apart: one is anadjective, the other apronoun, 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 40799, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
coi is recorded at frequency rank #40,676, classified as anadj, pronounced \kwa\. quoi is at rank #123, tagged as apron, pronounced \kwa\.
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 40799, this pair ranks #237,822 of 440,172 scored French confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of coi vs quoi
Shared letters: io. Private to "coi": c. Private to "quoi": qu.
"coi" · 3 letters · shape CVV · "quoi" · 4 letters · shape CVVV
Known mistypes of this pair
- quoi ← qoui · qquoi · quio · uqoi
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "coi" and "quoi" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "coi" or "quoi"?
Remembering coi vs quoi
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need an adjective, it's “coi”; for a pronoun, it's “quoi”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “coi” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable