Which to use
“deber” and “debí” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #3,112
- “deber” frequency rank
- #14,811
- “debí” frequency rank
- 17923
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | deber | debí |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | (seguido del infinitivo) Estar o verse obligado de hacer algo. | Primera persona del singular (yo) del pretérito perfecto simple de indicativo de deber. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set deber and debí apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. deber ([d̪eˈβ̞eɾ]) 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 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 17923, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
deber is recorded at frequency rank #3,112, classified as averb, pronounced [d̪eˈβ̞eɾ]. 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 17923, this pair ranks #270,071 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of deber vs debí
Shared letters: bde. Private to "deber": r. Private to "debí": í.
"deber" · 5 letters · shape CVCVC · "debí" · 4 letters · shape CVCV
Known mistypes of this pair
- deber ← dbeer · ddeber · debber · deberr · debre · deebr · dever · edber
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "deber" and "debí" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "deber" or "debí"?
Remembering deber vs debí
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 “deber” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable