débil
/DAY-beel/
weak
Débil means weak, like someone lacking the physical strength to lift something heavy.
débil(adjective)
weak
?lacking physical strength or energy
,frail
?physically delicate
feeble
?old-fashioned way of saying weak
📝 In Action
Después de la enfermedad, se sentía muy débil.
A2After the illness, he felt very weak.
El bebé tiene un agarre muy débil, pero está creciendo.
B1The baby has a very weak grip, but he is growing.
Mis rodillas son débiles, así que no puedo correr mucho.
A2My knees are weak, so I can't run much.
💡 Grammar Points
Gender Invariance
Unlike many Spanish adjectives, 'débil' is the same for both masculine and feminine nouns: 'el hombre débil' and 'la mujer débil'.
Making it Plural
To make 'débil' plural, you must add '-es': 'débiles' (e.g., 'los músculos débiles').
Ser vs. Estar
Use 'ser' (es) for permanent weakness (a characteristic), and 'estar' (está) for temporary weakness (after sickness or exercise).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the Accent
Mistake: "debil (without accent)"
Correction: The stress in Spanish usually falls on the second-to-last syllable, but 'débil' is an exception. The accent mark is necessary to indicate the stress falls on the first syllable: DÉ-bil.
⭐ Usage Tips
Emotional Weakness
You can use 'débil' to describe someone who is easily hurt or cries easily: 'Tiene un carácter débil' (He has a weak character).
Débil can also describe something faint, such as a dim light or sound.
débil(adjective)
faint
?sound, light, or signal
,weak
?argument, solution, or flavor
flimsy
?structure or excuse
,low-intensity
?light or color
📝 In Action
La señal de wifi era muy débil en el sótano.
B1The WiFi signal was very weak in the basement.
Su argumento sobre el cambio climático resultó ser muy débil.
B2Their argument about climate change turned out to be very weak (unconvincing).
Prefiero el café con un sabor más débil.
B1I prefer coffee with a fainter/weaker flavor.
⭐ Usage Tips
Describing Beverages
You can use 'débil' when ordering drinks, especially coffee or tea, if you want them less concentrated: 'Quiero un té más débil, por favor' (I want a weaker tea, please).
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: débil
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'débil' to describe a lack of intensity, rather than physical strength?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'débil' have an accent mark?
'Débil' naturally stresses the first syllable (DÉ-bil). Since it ends in 'L' (a consonant other than N or S), Spanish rules say the stress should fall on the last syllable. The written accent mark is necessary to override this standard rule and keep the stress on the first syllable.
Can 'débil' ever mean 'stupid' or 'slow'?
While the related French cognate 'débile' often means 'stupid' or 'slow,' in modern Spanish, 'débil' almost exclusively means 'weak' or 'frail.' You should use words like 'tonto' or 'estúpido' if you mean stupid.