donnéesvsdonnerWhat's the difference?

Quick tell: données is a noun, donner is a verb, so they fill different roles in a sentence.

Which to use

“données” is a noun and “donner” is a verb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.

#684
“données” frequency rank
#327
“donner” frequency rank
1011
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature données donner
Definition Pluriel de donnée. Faire un don ; transférer, sans rétribution, la propriété d’une chose que l’on possède ou dont on jouit, à une autre personne.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set données and donner apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

7 ch
données
6 ch
donner

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

données and donner form a confusable pair in the French index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They differ by 1 letter(s) in length - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 1011, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

données is recorded at frequency rank #684, classified as anoun, pronounced \dɔ.ne\. donner is at rank #327, tagged as averb, pronounced \dɔ.ne\.

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 1011, this pair ranks #438,765 of 440,172 scored French confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Frequency comparison

données#684
donner#327

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "données" and "donner" be used interchangeably?
No, "données" and "donner" have distinct meanings and cannot be swapped without changing the meaning of a sentence. Understanding the specific definition and context for each word is essential for correct usage.

Remembering données vs donner

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

  • Check the role first: if you need a noun, it's “données”; for a verb, it's “donner”.
  • See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “données” entry
  • Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list