Which to use
“desempeñar” is a verb and “desempeño” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #12,582
- “desempeñar” frequency rank
- #4,594
- “desempeño” frequency rank
- 17176
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | desempeñar | desempeño |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Recuperar algo previamente empeñado (dejado como garantía de un préstamo), eliminando la deuda antes contraída. | Acción o efecto de desempeñar o desempeñarse. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set desempeñar and desempeño apart are highlighted. They share 8 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: desempeñar is [d̪esẽmpeˈɲaɾ] while desempeño is [d̪esẽmˈpeɲo]. 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 17176, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
desempeñar is recorded at frequency rank #12,582, classified as averb, pronounced [d̪esẽmpeˈɲaɾ]. desempeño is at rank #4,594, tagged as anoun, pronounced [d̪esẽmˈpeɲo].
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 17176, this pair ranks #273,245 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of desempeñar vs desempeño
Shared letters: dempsñ. Private to "desempeñar": ar. Private to "desempeño": o.
"desempeñar" · 10 letters · shape CVCVCCVCVC · "desempeño" · 9 letters · shape CVCVCCVCV
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "desempeñar" and "desempeño" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "desempeñar" or "desempeño"?
Remembering desempeñar vs desempeño
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “desempeñar”; for a noun, it's “desempeño”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “desempeñar” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable