Which to use
“de” is a preposition and “deux” is a num - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #1
- “de” frequency rank
- #46,494
- “deux” frequency rank
- 46495
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | de | deux |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Indica pertenencia. | Dos. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set de and deux apart are highlighted. They share 2 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: de is [d̪e] while deux is /dø/. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 2 extra letter(s) - “de” sits inside “deux”, and the parts of speech differ too (preposition vs num), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 46495, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
de is recorded at frequency rank #1, classified as aprep, pronounced [d̪e]. deux is at rank #46,494, tagged as anum, pronounced /dø/.
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 46495, this pair ranks #125,387 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of de vs deux
Shared letters: de. Private to "de": -. Private to "deux": ux.
"de" · 2 letters · shape CV · "deux" · 4 letters · shape CVVC
Known mistypes of this pair
- deux ← ddeux · deuxx · dexu · duex · edux
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "de" and "deux" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "de" or "deux"?
Remembering de vs deux
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a preposition, it's “de”; for a num, it's “deux”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “de” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable