Which to use
“desempeñaba” and “desempeñan” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #27,567
- “desempeñaba” frequency rank
- #20,649
- “desempeñan” frequency rank
- 48216
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | desempeñaba | desempeñan |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Primera persona del singular (yo) del pretérito imperfecto de indicativo de desempeñar o de desempeñarse. | Tercera persona del plural (ellos, ellas; ustedes, 2.ª persona) del presente de indicativo de desempeñar o de desempeñarse. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set desempeñaba and desempeñan apart are highlighted. They share 9 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. desempeñaba ([d̪esẽmpeˈɲaβ̞a]) and desempeñan ([d̪esẽmˈpeɲãn]) 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 48216, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
desempeñaba is recorded at frequency rank #27,567, classified as averb, pronounced [d̪esẽmpeˈɲaβ̞a]. desempeñan is at rank #20,649, tagged as averb, pronounced [d̪esẽmˈpeɲãn].
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 48216, this pair ranks #115,721 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of desempeñaba vs desempeñan
Shared letters: adempsñ. Private to "desempeñaba": b. Private to "desempeñan": n.
"desempeñaba" · 11 letters · shape CVCVCCVCVCV · "desempeñan" · 10 letters · shape CVCVCCVCVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "desempeñaba" and "desempeñan" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "desempeñaba" or "desempeñan"?
Remembering desempeñaba vs desempeñan
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 “desempeñaba” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable