debasvsdebesWhat's the difference?

Which to use

“debas” and “debes” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#29,580
“debas” frequency rank
#1,504
“debes” frequency rank
31084
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature debas debes
Definition Segunda persona del singular (tú) del presente de subjuntivo de deber. Segunda persona del singular (tú) del presente de indicativo de deber.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set debas and debes apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

5 ch
debas
5 ch
debes

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. debas ([ˈd̪eβ̞as]) and debes ([ˈd̪eβ̞es]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by a single letter - a in “debas” becomes e in “debes”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 31084, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

debas is recorded at frequency rank #29,580, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈd̪eβ̞as]. debes is at rank #1,504, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈd̪eβ̞es].

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 31084, this pair ranks #208,856 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of debas vs debes

Shared letters: bdes. Private to "debas": a. Private to "debes": -.

"debas" · 5 letters · shape CVCVC  ·  "debes" · 5 letters · shape CVCVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • debasdbeas · ddebas · deabs · debass · debbas · debsa · devas · edbas
  • debesdbees · ddebes · debbes · debess · debse · deebs · deves · edbes

Frequency comparison

debas#29,580
debes#1,504

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "debas" and "debes" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈd̪eβ̞as] versus [ˈd̪eβ̞es]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "debas" or "debes"?
"debes" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #1,504 in our Spanish list, against #29,580 for "debas". That is a wide gap, so in ordinary text the rarer spelling is the one worth double-checking.

Remembering debas vs debes

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

  • Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
  • See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “debas” entry
  • Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list