Which to use
“debéis” and “debí” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #25,210
- “debéis” frequency rank
- #14,811
- “debí” frequency rank
- 40021
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | debéis | debí |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Segunda persona del plural (vosotros, vosotras) del presente de indicativo de deber. | Primera persona del singular (yo) del pretérito perfecto simple de indicativo de deber. |
Where the eye mixes debéis and debí
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 3 letters in sequence. debéis runs 6 letters (CVCVVC) against debí's 4 (CVCV) - the length gap alone is often enough to separate them once you know to check it.
Look-alike desk: debéis vs debí
A purely visual mix-up. debéis ([d̪eˈβ̞ejs]) and debí ([d̪eˈβ̞i]) 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 2 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 40021, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
debéis is recorded at frequency rank #25,210, classified as averb, pronounced [d̪eˈβ̞ejs]. debí is at rank #14,811, tagged as averb, pronounced [d̪eˈβ̞i].
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 40021, this pair ranks #161,363 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of debéis vs debí
Shared letters: bde. Private to "debéis": isé. Private to "debí": í.
"debéis" · 6 letters · shape CVCVVC · "debí" · 4 letters · shape CVCV
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "debéis" and "debí" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "debéis" or "debí"?
Useful next steps
Eye-level mix-up between "debéis" and "debí" is sorted above. Next: full entries or other pairs that share a letter shape.
- Full dictionary entry for "debéis" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "debí" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #161,363 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "debéis" and "debí" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "debéis vs debías". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #161,363 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.