decíasvsdecimeConfusable pair

Which to use

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

#15,066
“decías” frequency rank
#13,434
“decime” frequency rank
28500
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature decías decime
Definition Segunda persona del singular (tú, vos) del pretérito imperfecto de indicativo de decir. Decí (vos), con el enclítico me (pronombre).

Where the eye mixes decías and decime

Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 3 letters in sequence. decías (CVCVVC) and decime (CVCVCV) run the same length but a different consonant-vowel pattern - the shape difference is usually the fastest tell.

6 ch
decías
6 ch
decime

Look-alike desk: decías vs decime

A purely visual mix-up. decías ([d̪eˈsias]) and decime ([d̪eˈsime]) 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 3 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 28500, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

decías is recorded at frequency rank #15,066, classified as averb, pronounced [d̪eˈsias]. decime is at rank #13,434, tagged as averb, pronounced [d̪eˈsime].

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 28500, this pair ranks #221,730 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of decías vs decime

Shared letters: cde. Private to "decías": así. Private to "decime": im.

"decías" · 6 letters · shape CVCVVC  ·  "decime" · 6 letters · shape CVCVCV

Known mistypes of this pair

  • decime ← dceime · ddecime · deccime · deciem · decimme · decmie · deicme · desime

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "decías" and "decime" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([d̪eˈsias] versus [d̪eˈsime]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "decías" or "decime"?
"decime" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #13,434 in our Spanish list, against #15,066 for "decías". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

What to do next

Pronunciation already separates them, if the page still looks alike, the dictionary links below settle it.

  • Full dictionary entry for "decías" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
  • Full dictionary entry for "decime" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
  • This pair ranks #221,730 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
  • "decías" and "decime" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "decae vs decías". Nearby pair
  • Recorded mistypes exist for at least one side of this pair, useful when a spell-checker or OCR lands on the wrong form. See mistypes

Confusion rank #221,730 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list