Which to use
“déboucher” is a verb and “débouchés” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #18,465
- “déboucher” frequency rank
- #17,680
- “débouchés” frequency rank
- 36145
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | déboucher | débouchés |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Débarrasser de ce qui bouche, de ce qui obstrue. | Pluriel de débouché. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set déboucher and débouchés 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: déboucher and débouchés carry the same recorded pronunciation, \de.bu.ʃe\. Grammar is what tells them apart: one is averb, the other anoun, so most sentences will only accept one of them. They share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 36145, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
déboucher is recorded at frequency rank #18,465, classified as averb, pronounced \de.bu.ʃe\. débouchés is at rank #17,680, tagged as anoun, 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 36145, this pair ranks #271,687 of 440,172 scored French confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of déboucher vs débouchés
Shared letters: bcdhoué. Private to "déboucher": er. Private to "débouchés": s.
"déboucher" · 9 letters · shape CVCVVCCVC · "débouchés" · 9 letters · shape CVCVVCCVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "déboucher" and "débouchés" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "déboucher" or "débouchés"?
Remembering déboucher vs débouchés
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “déboucher”; for a noun, it's “débouchés”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “déboucher” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable