Which to use
“compétence” and “compétences” are a confusable French pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #4,057
- “compétence” frequency rank
- #2,766
- “compétences” frequency rank
- 6823
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | compétence | compétences |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Fonction attribuée par la loi à une autorité publique, à un établissement public. | Pluriel de compétence. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set compétence and compétences apart are highlighted. They share 10 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
This is the hard kind. compétence and compétences are pronounced identically (\kɔ̃.pe.tɑ̃s\) and both work as anoun. Neither the ear nor the grammar will rescue you; only the meaning does, so the glosses below are the whole decision. They differ by 1 extra letter(s) - “compétence” sits inside “compétences”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 6823, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
compétence is recorded at frequency rank #4,057, classified as anoun, pronounced \kɔ̃.pe.tɑ̃s\. compétences is at rank #2,766, tagged as anoun, pronounced \kɔ̃.pe.tɑ̃s\.
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 6823, this pair ranks #425,116 of 440,172 scored French confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of compétence vs compétences
Shared letters: cemnopté. Private to "compétence": -. Private to "compétences": s.
"compétence" · 10 letters · shape CVCCVCVCCV · "compétences" · 11 letters · shape CVCCVCVCCVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "compétence" and "compétences" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "compétence" or "compétences"?
Remembering compétence vs compétences
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 “compétence” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable