Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| comparar | /kompaˈɾaɾ/ | |
| parangonar | /paɾanɡoˈnaɾ/ | |
| equiparar | /ekipaˈɾaɾ/ | |
| paragonar | /paɾaɡoˈnaɾ/ | alternative form |
| carear | /kaɾeˈaɾ/ | |
| contraponer | /kontɾaponeɾ/ (from spelling rules) |
The primary way to express the act of assessing the similarities between two things or between one thing and another is using comparar. A more specialized form of comparison is carear, which is used when bringing two people together to confront them with conflicting statements or evidence (often in a legal context).
Which one should you use?
While these words all relate to comparison, they carry different nuances. Equiparar is used when the comparison implies treating two things as equal in status, value or importance. Contraponer is used when the comparison is intended to highlight differences or to set two opposing ideas against each other. Finally, parangonar is used when suggesting something is worthy of comparison to a high standard.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
comparar is a formal or neutral way to say compare. parangonar is a highly formal or literary term. Note that paragonar is an alternative spelling of parangonar.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb comparar is typically used with the preposition con to indicate the object of comparison (comparar con).
How do you pronounce it?
/kompaˈɾaɾ/
Did you know?
- The verb comparar shares a deep ancestral root with the English word 'companion'. Both stem from the Latin 'com-' meaning 'together' and 'par' meaning 'equal', describing someone who is your equal beside you.
- In Spanish, using comparar to talk about children often carries a negative connotation of putting unfair pressure on them to match a sibling's success.
Examples in context
- No deberías comparar a Tom con Mary.You shouldn't compare Tom with Mary.This sentence shows how to use comparar when discussing people.Tatoeba #9741203 by Shishir, translation #9488938 by DJ_Saidez
- En política acontece con relativa frecuencia el comparar algo malo con algo peor en lugar de aceptar que ambas cosas están mal y deberían ser evitadas.A common occurrence in politics is to compare something bad with something worse, instead of accepting that both are bad and should be avoided.This sentence uses comparar in a political context.Tatoeba #10561450 by Shishir, translation #10561456 by DJ_Saidez
- ¿A qué es semejante el reino de Dios, y con qué lo compararé? Es semejante al grano de mostaza, que un hombre tomó y sembró en su huerto; y creció, y se hizo árbol grande, y las aves del cielo anidaron en sus ramas.What is the Kingdom of God like? To what shall I compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and put in his own garden. It grew, and became a large tree, and the birds of the sky lodged in its branches.This sentence uses comparar in a religious context.Tatoeba #4552726 by cueyayotl, translation #2761308 by Hybrid
- 1 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are discussing which smartphone to buy.
- Lucía¿Quieres comparar los precios de estos dos modelos?Do you want to compare the prices of these two models?
- AlejandroSí, quiero comparar sus funciones antes de comprar uno.Yes, I want to compare their functions before buying one.
- LucíaEs mejor comparar la batería de ambos teléfonos.It is better to compare the battery of both phones.
- AlejandroTienes razón, vamos a comparar sus especificaciones ahora.You are right, let's compare their specifications now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “compare” translations and entries comparar, parangonar, equiparar, paragonar, carear, contraponer, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries comparar, equiparar, paragonar, parangonar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
