derramarvsderribarWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#22,652
“derramar” frequency rank
#13,437
“derribar” frequency rank
36089
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature derramar derribar
Definition Verter, esparcir cosas líquidas o menudas. Echar abajo un edificio, construcción o muros.

Where the spellings diverge

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

8 ch
derramar
8 ch
derribar

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. derramar ([d̪eraˈmaɾ]) and derribar ([d̪eriˈβ̞aɾ]) 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 36089, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

derramar is recorded at frequency rank #22,652, classified as averb, pronounced [d̪eraˈmaɾ]. derribar is at rank #13,437, tagged as averb, pronounced [d̪eriˈβ̞aɾ].

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 36089, this pair ranks #182,533 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of derramar vs derribar

Shared letters: ader. Private to "derramar": m. Private to "derribar": bi.

"derramar" · 8 letters · shape CVCCVCVC  ·  "derribar" · 8 letters · shape CVCCVCVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • derramardderramar · deramar · derarmar · derraamr · derramarr · derrammar · derramra · derrmaar
  • derribardderribar · deribar · derirbar · derrbiar · derriabr · derribarr · derribbar · derribra

Frequency comparison

derramar#22,652
derribar#13,437

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "derramar" and "derribar" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([d̪eraˈmaɾ] versus [d̪eriˈβ̞aɾ]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "derramar" or "derribar"?
"derribar" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #13,437 in our Spanish list, against #22,652 for "derramar". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering derramar vs derribar

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 “derramar” 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