alas

/ˈa.lɐs/

//ˈa.lɐs// noun

The verdict

“alas” is a moderately-common Portuguese word, ranked #17,688 in Portuguese word frequency and used as a noun.

#17,688
frequency rank, Portuguese
4
letters
5
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - forma plural de ala:

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

alas vs As
25% similar
alas vs ali
50% similar
alas vs ama
50% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for alas
PropertyValue
Headwordalas
LanguagePortuguese
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈa.lɐs/
Letters4
Frequency rank#17,688
Misspellings tracked5
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “alas” sits in Portuguese frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). alas lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The Portuguese entry for alas is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈa.lɐs/. Corpus data places it at rank #17,688 in overall Portuguese word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for alas, with forms such as "aals", "alass", and "allas". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "As", "ali", "ama", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

This headword's origin isn't recorded in our source data, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct Portuguese form is alas, spelled A-L-A-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    forma plural de ala:
  2. 2
    forma plural de ala:

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: aals,alass,allas,alsa,laas

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of alas - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

aals2alass1allas1alsa2laas2
Edit distance from "alas"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 Portuguese corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "alas"?
"alas" is spelled A-L-A-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈa.lɐs/.
What does "alas" mean?
As a noun, "alas" means: forma plural de ala:
What words are commonly confused with "alas"?
"alas" is commonly confused with "As", "ali", "ama". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "alas"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "alas" is /ˈa.lɐs/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "alas" come from?
"alas" is a Portuguese word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “alas”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct Portuguese spelling is A-L-A-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈa.lɐs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “As” - see the side-by-side comparison. alas vs As
  • Browse more Portuguese words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Portuguese words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

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

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