Which to use
“dépends” is a verb and “dépens” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #27,416
- “dépends” frequency rank
- #9,312
- “dépens” frequency rank
- 36728
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | dépends | dépens |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Première personne du singulier de l’indicatif présent de dépendre. | Ce qu’on dépense. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set dépends and dépens apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
Say them out loud and nothing separates them: dépends and dépens carry the same recorded pronunciation, \de.pɑ̃\. Grammar is what tells them apart: one is averb, the other anoun, 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 36728, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
dépends is recorded at frequency rank #27,416, classified as averb, pronounced \de.pɑ̃\. dépens is at rank #9,312, tagged as anoun, pronounced \de.pɑ̃\.
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 36728, this pair ranks #267,536 of 440,172 scored French confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of dépends vs dépens
Shared letters: denpsé. Private to "dépends": -. Private to "dépens": -.
"dépends" · 7 letters · shape CVCVCCC · "dépens" · 6 letters · shape CVCVCC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "dépends" and "dépens" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "dépends" or "dépens"?
Remembering dépends vs dépens
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “dépends”; for a noun, it's “dépens”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “dépends” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable