decíamosvsdecimosWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#19,080
“decíamos” frequency rank
#4,149
“decimos” frequency rank
23229
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature decíamos decimos
Definition Primera persona del plural (nosotros, nosotras) del pretérito imperfecto de indicativo de decir. Primera persona del plural (nosotros, nosotras) del presente de indicativo de decir.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set decíamos and decimos apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

8 ch
decíamos
7 ch
decimos

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. decíamos ([d̪eˈsiamos]) and decimos ([d̪eˈsimos]) 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 23229, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

decíamos is recorded at frequency rank #19,080, classified as averb, pronounced [d̪eˈsiamos]. decimos is at rank #4,149, tagged as averb, pronounced [d̪eˈsimos].

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 23229, this pair ranks #246,763 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of decíamos vs decimos

Shared letters: cdemos. Private to "decíamos": . Private to "decimos": i.

"decíamos" · 8 letters · shape CVCVVCVC  ·  "decimos" · 7 letters · shape CVCVCVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • decimosdceimos · ddecimos · deccimos · decimmos · decimoss · decimso · decioms · decmios

Frequency comparison

decíamos#19,080
decimos#4,149

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "decíamos" and "decimos" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([d̪eˈsiamos] versus [d̪eˈsimos]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "decíamos" or "decimos"?
"decimos" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #4,149 in our Spanish list, against #19,080 for "decíamos". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering decíamos vs decimos

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 “decíamos” 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