Which to use
“nací” is a verb and “não” is an adverb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #7,465
- “nací” frequency rank
- #41,506
- “não” frequency rank
- 48971
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | nací | não |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Primera persona del singular (yo) del pretérito perfecto simple de indicativo de nacer. | No. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set nací and não apart are highlighted. They share 1 letter in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: nací is [naˈsi] while não is [nɐ̃w]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (verb vs adverb), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 48971, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
nací is recorded at frequency rank #7,465, classified as averb, pronounced [naˈsi]. não is at rank #41,506, tagged as anadv, pronounced [nɐ̃w].
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 48971, this pair ranks #111,488 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of nací vs não
Shared letters: n. Private to "nací": ací. Private to "não": oã.
"nací" · 4 letters · shape CVCV · "não" · 3 letters · shape CVV
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "nací" and "não" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "nací" or "não"?
Remembering nací vs não
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “nací”; for an adverb, it's “não”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “nací” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable