contrário

/kõ.ˈtɾa.ɾju/

//kõ.ˈtɾa.ɾju// adj

The verdict

“contrário” has 13 generated spelling variants in the Portuguese index at frequency #1,026. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#1,026
frequency rank, Portuguese
3,948
“C” headwords
13
tracked misspellings
7
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - oposto

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

contrário vs contrato
67% similar
contrário vs contrair
67% similar
contrário vs contágio
78% similar

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

Key facts for contrário
PropertyValue
Headwordcontrário
LanguagePortuguese
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/kõ.ˈtɾa.ɾju/
Letters9
Frequency rank#1,026
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs7
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “contrário” 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). contrário lands here:

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

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

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around contrário (IPA /kõ.ˈtɾa.ɾju/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #1,026 among 3,948 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for contrário, with forms such as "ccontrário", "cnotrário", and "conntrário". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 7 confusable-pair relationships, "contrato", "contrair", "contágio", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

No explicit etymology string is stored for this entry, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct Portuguese form is contrário, spelled C-O-N-T-R-Á-R-I-O.

Definition

  1. 1
    oposto
  2. 2
    desfavorável

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ccontrário
  • cnotrário
  • conntrário
  • conrtário
  • contrráio
  • contrrário
  • contráiro
  • contrároi
  • contrárrio
  • conttrário
  • contárrio
  • cotnrário
  • ocntrário

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of contrário - 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.

ccontrário1cnotrário2conntrário1conrtário2contrráio2contrrário1contráiro2contrároi2
Edit distance from "contrário"

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 "contrário"?
"contrário" is spelled C-O-N-T-R-Á-R-I-O. The IPA pronunciation is /kõ.ˈtɾa.ɾju/.
What does "contrário" mean?
As an adjective, "contrário" means: oposto
What words are commonly confused with "contrário"?
"contrário" is commonly confused with "contrato", "contrair", "contágio". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "contrário"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "contrário" is /kõ.ˈtɾa.ɾju/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "contrário" come from?
"contrário" 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 “contrário”

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

  • The one correct Portuguese spelling is C-O-N-T-R-Á-R-I-O - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /kõ.ˈtɾa.ɾju/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “contrato” - see the side-by-side comparison. contrário vs contrato
  • Browse more Portuguese words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Portuguese words

Same frequency band

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