Which to use
“debías” is a verb and “débil” is an adjective - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #44,095
- “debías” frequency rank
- #3,397
- “débil” frequency rank
- 47492
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | debías | débil |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Segunda persona del singular (tú, vos) del pretérito imperfecto de indicativo de deber. | De poca fortaleza, que carece de fuerza física. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set debías and débil apart are highlighted. They share 2 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: debías is [d̪eˈβ̞ias] while débil is [ˈd̪eβ̞il]. 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 adjective), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 47492, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
debías is recorded at frequency rank #44,095, classified as averb, pronounced [d̪eˈβ̞ias]. débil is at rank #3,397, tagged as anadj, pronounced [ˈd̪eβ̞il].
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 47492, this pair ranks #119,751 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of debías vs débil
Shared letters: bd. Private to "debías": aesí. Private to "débil": ilé.
"debías" · 6 letters · shape CVCVVC · "débil" · 5 letters · shape CVCVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "debías" and "débil" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "debías" or "débil"?
Remembering debías vs débil
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “debías”; for an adjective, it's “débil”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “debías” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable