explain

/ɪkˈspleɪn/; /ɛkˈspleɪn/

//ɪkˈspleɪn/; /ɛkˈspleɪn// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

The verdict

“explain” is uncommon Portuguese (frequency #68,826 among 2,493 “E” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#68,826
frequency rank, Portuguese
2,493
“E” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - explanar; explicar

Key facts for explain
PropertyValue
Headwordexplain
LanguagePortuguese
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪkˈspleɪn/; /ɛkˈspleɪn/
Letters7
Frequency rank#68,826
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “explain” 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). explain lands here:

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

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

Rare enough to double-check

explain is uncommon Portuguese at frequency #68,826 among 2,493 “E” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ɪkˈspleɪn/; /ɛkˈspleɪn/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "explanar; explicar".

Zero misspellings are on record for explain in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

This entry's etymology isn't recorded, so its spelling is best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct Portuguese form is explain, spelled E-X-P-L-A-I-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    explanar; explicar

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 "explain"?
"explain" is spelled E-X-P-L-A-I-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪkˈspleɪn/; /ɛkˈspleɪn/.
What does "explain" mean?
As a verb, "explain" means: explanar; explicar
How do you pronounce "explain"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "explain" is /ɪkˈspleɪn/; /ɛkˈspleɪn/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "explain" come from?
"explain" is a Portuguese word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
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 “explain”

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

  • The one correct Portuguese spelling is E-X-P-L-A-I-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪkˈspleɪn/; /ɛkˈspleɪn/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more Portuguese words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Portuguese words

Other uncommon Portuguese words near this rank

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