perna

/ˈpɛrnɜ/

//ˈpɛrnɜ// noun

The verdict

“perna” is a regularly-used Portuguese word, ranked #3,098 in Portuguese word frequency and used as a noun.

#3,098
frequency rank, Portuguese
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - um dos membros posteriores humanos

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

perna vs Peru
40% similar
perna vs pero
60% similar
perna vs proa
60% similar

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

Key facts for perna
PropertyValue
Headwordperna
LanguagePortuguese
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈpɛrnɜ/
Letters5
Frequency rank#3,098
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “perna” 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). perna 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 perna is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈpɛrnɜ/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,098 in overall Portuguese word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for perna, with forms such as "eprna", "penra", and "peran". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "Peru", "pero", "proa", 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 best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct Portuguese form is perna, spelled P-E-R-N-A.

Definition

  1. 1
    um dos membros posteriores humanos
  2. 2
    a porção dos membros posteriores entre o joelho e o calcanhar
  3. 3
    madeira que dá sustentação a um tampo que juntos dá-se nome de mesa

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: eprna,penra,peran,pernna,perrna,pperna,prena

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of perna - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

eprna2penra2peran2pernna1perrna1pperna1prena2
Edit distance from "perna"

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 "perna"?
"perna" is spelled P-E-R-N-A. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpɛrnɜ/.
What does "perna" mean?
As a noun, "perna" means: um dos membros posteriores humanos
What words are commonly confused with "perna"?
"perna" is commonly confused with "Peru", "pero", "proa". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "perna"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "perna" is /ˈpɛrnɜ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "perna" come from?
"perna" 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 “perna”

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

  • The one correct Portuguese spelling is P-E-R-N-A - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈpɛrnɜ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Peru” - see the side-by-side comparison. perna vs Peru
  • 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