Which to use
“debes” is a verb and “dobles” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #1,504
- “debes” frequency rank
- #8,107
- “dobles” frequency rank
- 9611
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | debes | dobles |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Segunda persona del singular (tú) del presente de indicativo de deber. | En el tenis y otros deportes similares, partido que se juega con dos jugadores por lado. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set debes and dobles apart are highlighted. They share 4 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: debes is [ˈd̪eβ̞es] while dobles is [ˈd̪oβ̞les]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (verb vs noun), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 9611, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
debes is recorded at frequency rank #1,504, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈd̪eβ̞es]. dobles is at rank #8,107, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈd̪oβ̞les].
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 9611, this pair ranks #301,403 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of debes vs dobles
Shared letters: bdes. Private to "debes": -. Private to "dobles": lo.
"debes" · 5 letters · shape CVCVC · "dobles" · 6 letters · shape CVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "debes" and "dobles" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "debes" or "dobles"?
Remembering debes vs dobles
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “debes”; for a noun, it's “dobles”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “debes” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable