Which to use
“debe” and “decí” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #183
- “debe” frequency rank
- #42,935
- “decí” frequency rank
- 43118
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | debe | decí |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Tercera persona del singular (él, ella, ello; usted, 2.ª persona) del presente de indicativo de deber. | Segunda persona del singular (vos) del imperativo afirmativo de decir. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set debe and decí apart are highlighted. They share 2 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. debe ([ˈd̪eβ̞e]) and decí ([d̪eˈsi]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 43118, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
debe is recorded at frequency rank #183, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈd̪eβ̞e]. decí is at rank #42,935, tagged as averb, pronounced [d̪eˈsi].
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 43118, this pair ranks #144,426 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of debe vs decí
Shared letters: de. Private to "debe": b. Private to "decí": cí.
"debe" · 4 letters · shape CVCV · "decí" · 4 letters · shape CVCV
Known mistypes of this pair
- debe ← dbee · ddebe · debbe · deeb · deve · edbe
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "debe" and "decí" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "debe" or "decí"?
Remembering debe vs decí
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 “debe” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable