Inklingo

How to Say "comparison" in Spanish

English → Spanish

comparación

nounA2general
Use 'comparación' when you are generally talking about the act of observing similarities and differences between two or more things.

Examples

No hay punto de comparación entre estos dos teléfonos.

There is no point of comparison between these two phones.

paralelo

/pah-rah-LEH-loh//paɾaˈlelo/

nounB1general
Use 'paralelo' when you are specifically identifying similarities between two things, especially in contexts like geography (e.g., lines of latitude) or abstract conceptual links.
A simple globe showing horizontal rings circling it to represent lines of latitude.

Examples

Ecuador está situado cerca del paralelo cero.

Ecuador is located near the equator (the zero parallel).

Es difícil establecer un paralelo entre estas dos situaciones.

It is difficult to draw a comparison between these two situations.

El avión cruzó el paralelo 40.

The plane crossed the 40th parallel.

Always Masculine

When used as a noun meaning a geographic line or a comparison, it is always 'el paralelo'.

Confusing with 'similaridad'

Mistake:Hacer una paralela entre ellos.

Correction: Hacer un paralelo entre ellos (comparisons are masculine).

confrontación

nounC1formal
Use 'confrontación' when the comparison involves a direct, often critical, examination of two or more items side-by-side to find discrepancies or verify information.

Examples

La confrontación de los testimonios reveló varias mentiras.

The cross-checking of the testimonies revealed several lies.

General vs. Specific Comparison

Learners often use 'comparación' for all types of comparison. Remember that 'confrontación' implies a more rigorous, direct checking, and 'paralelo' is best for highlighting similarities, especially in non-literal contexts.

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