Which to use
“désolé” is an adjective and “désoler” is a verb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #1,390
- “désolé” frequency rank
- #39,770
- “désoler” frequency rank
- 41160
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | désolé | désoler |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Désert ; ravagé ; triste. | Transformer en solitude une région, une ville, en y exerçant des ravages. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set désolé and désoler apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
Say them out loud and nothing separates them: désolé and désoler carry the same recorded pronunciation, \de.zɔ.le\. Grammar is what tells them apart: one is anadjective, 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 41160, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
désolé is recorded at frequency rank #1,390, classified as anadj, pronounced \de.zɔ.le\. désoler is at rank #39,770, tagged as averb, pronounced \de.zɔ.le\.
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 41160, this pair ranks #235,177 of 440,172 scored French confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of désolé vs désoler
Shared letters: dlosé. Private to "désolé": -. Private to "désoler": er.
"désolé" · 6 letters · shape CVCVCV · "désoler" · 7 letters · shape CVCVCVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "désolé" and "désoler" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "désolé" or "désoler"?
Remembering désolé vs désoler
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need an adjective, it's “désolé”; for a verb, it's “désoler”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “désolé” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable