Which to use
“débouché” is a noun and “déboucher” is a verb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #16,345
- “débouché” frequency rank
- #18,465
- “déboucher” frequency rank
- 34810
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | débouché | déboucher |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Endroit où l’on passe d’un lieu resserré dans un lieu plus ouvert. | Débarrasser de ce qui bouche, de ce qui obstrue. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set débouché and déboucher apart are highlighted. They share 7 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
Say them out loud and nothing separates them: débouché and déboucher carry the same recorded pronunciation, \de.bu.ʃe\. Grammar is what tells them apart: one is anoun, the other averb, so most sentences will only accept one of them. They differ by 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 34810, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
débouché is recorded at frequency rank #16,345, classified as anoun, pronounced \de.bu.ʃe\. déboucher is at rank #18,465, tagged as averb, pronounced \de.bu.ʃe\.
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 34810, this pair ranks #281,198 of 440,172 scored French confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of débouché vs déboucher
Shared letters: bcdhoué. Private to "débouché": -. Private to "déboucher": er.
"débouché" · 8 letters · shape CVCVVCCV · "déboucher" · 9 letters · shape CVCVVCCVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "débouché" and "déboucher" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "débouché" or "déboucher"?
Remembering débouché vs déboucher
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a noun, it's “débouché”; for a verb, it's “déboucher”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “débouché” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable