débilesvsdócilesWhat's the difference?

Which to use

“débiles” and “dóciles” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#6,173
“débiles” frequency rank
#48,967
“dóciles” frequency rank
55140
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature débiles dóciles
Definition Forma del plural de débil. Forma del plural de dócil.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set débiles and dóciles apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

7 ch
débiles
7 ch
dóciles

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. débiles ([ˈd̪eβ̞iles]) and dóciles ([ˈd̪osiles]) 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 55140, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

débiles is recorded at frequency rank #6,173, classified as anadj, pronounced [ˈd̪eβ̞iles]. dóciles is at rank #48,967, tagged as anadj, pronounced [ˈd̪osiles].

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 55140, this pair ranks #80,228 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.

Orthographic DNA of débiles vs dóciles

Shared letters: deils. Private to "débiles": . Private to "dóciles": .

"débiles" · 7 letters · shape CVCVCVC  ·  "dóciles" · 7 letters · shape CVCVCVC

Frequency comparison

débiles#6,173
dóciles#48,967

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "débiles" and "dóciles" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈd̪eβ̞iles] versus [ˈd̪osiles]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "débiles" or "dóciles"?
"débiles" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #6,173 in our Spanish list, against #48,967 for "dóciles". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering débiles vs dóciles

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 “débiles” entry
  • Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list