Which to use
“duele” is a verb and “duelos” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #2,878
- “duele” frequency rank
- #25,231
- “duelos” frequency rank
- 28109
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | duele | duelos |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Primera persona del singular (yo) del presente de subjuntivo de dolar. | Forma del plural de duelo. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set duele and duelos apart are highlighted. They share 4 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: duele is [ˈd̪wele] while duelos is [ˈd̪welos]. 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 28109, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
duele is recorded at frequency rank #2,878, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈd̪wele]. duelos is at rank #25,231, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈd̪welos].
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 28109, this pair ranks #223,593 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of duele vs duelos
Shared letters: delu. Private to "duele": -. Private to "duelos": os.
"duele" · 5 letters · shape CVVCV · "duelos" · 6 letters · shape CVVCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "duele" and "duelos" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "duele" or "duelos"?
Remembering duele vs duelos
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “duele”; for a noun, it's “duelos”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “duele” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable