definenvsdelfinesWhat's the difference?

Quick tell: definen is a verb, delfines is a noun, so they fill different roles in a sentence.

Which to use

“definen” is a verb and “delfines” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.

#9,097
“definen” frequency rank
#15,337
“delfines” frequency rank
24434
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature definen delfines
Definition Tercera persona del plural (ellos, ellas; ustedes, 2.ª persona) del presente de indicativo de definir o de definirse. Forma del plural de delfín.

Where the spellings diverge

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

7 ch
definen
8 ch
delfines

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: definen is [d̪eˈfinẽn] while delfines is [d̪elˈfines]. 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 24434, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

definen is recorded at frequency rank #9,097, classified as averb, pronounced [d̪eˈfinẽn]. delfines is at rank #15,337, tagged as anoun, pronounced [d̪elˈfines].

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 24434, this pair ranks #241,198 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of definen vs delfines

Shared letters: defin. Private to "definen": -. Private to "delfines": ls.

"definen" · 7 letters · shape CVCVCVC  ·  "delfines" · 8 letters · shape CVCCVCVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • definenddefinen · deffinen · defienn · definenn · definnen · defnien · deifnen · dfeinen
  • delfinesddelfines · deflines · delffines · delfiens · delfiness · delfinnes · delfinse · delfnies

Frequency comparison

definen#9,097
delfines#15,337

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "definen" and "delfines" be used interchangeably?
No - they are not even the same part of speech. "definen" is a verb and "delfines" a noun, so a sentence built for one is usually ungrammatical with the other.
Which is more common, "definen" or "delfines"?
"definen" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #9,097 in our Spanish list, against #15,337 for "delfines". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering definen vs delfines

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

  • Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “definen”; for a noun, it's “delfines”.
  • See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “definen” 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