pensévspiensesWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#1,522
“pensé” frequency rank
#8,294
“pienses” frequency rank
9816
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature pensé pienses
Definition Primera persona del singular (yo) del pretérito perfecto simple de indicativo de pensar. Segunda persona del singular (tú) del presente de subjuntivo de pensar.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set pensé and pienses apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

5 ch
pensé
7 ch
pienses

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

pensé and pienses form a confusable pair in the Spanish index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They differ by 2 letter(s) in length - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 9816, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

pensé is recorded at frequency rank #1,522, classified as averb, pronounced [pẽnˈse]. pienses is at rank #8,294, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈpjẽnses].

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 9816, this pair ranks #300,743 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Frequency comparison

pensé#1,522
pienses#8,294

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "pensé" and "pienses" be used interchangeably?
No, "pensé" and "pienses" have distinct meanings and cannot be swapped without changing the meaning of a sentence. Understanding the specific definition and context for each word is essential for correct usage.

Remembering pensé vs pienses

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 “pensé” 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