Which to use
“duele” and “duerme” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #2,878
- “duele” frequency rank
- #5,824
- “duerme” frequency rank
- 8702
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | duele | duerme |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Primera persona del singular (yo) del presente de subjuntivo de dolar. | Tercera persona del singular (él, ella, ello; usted, 2.ª persona) del presente de indicativo de dormir o de dormirse. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set duele and duerme apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. duele ([ˈd̪wele]) and duerme ([ˈd̪weɾme]) 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 8702, 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]. duerme is at rank #5,824, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈd̪weɾme].
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 8702, this pair ranks #304,216 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of duele vs duerme
Shared letters: deu. Private to "duele": l. Private to "duerme": mr.
"duele" · 5 letters · shape CVVCV · "duerme" · 6 letters · shape CVVCCV
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "duele" and "duerme" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "duele" or "duerme"?
Remembering duele vs duerme
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 “duele” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable