tomar conta

phrase

The verdict

“tomar conta” is uncommon Portuguese (outside the top frequency list), classed as a phrase. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency Portuguese
11
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - cuidar, zelar

Corpus desk

Index PT-tomar-conta · tomar conta · Portuguese

tomar conta · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "T" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for tomar conta
PropertyValue
Headwordtomar conta
LanguagePortuguese
Part of speechPhrase
Letters11
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Cauda longa: rank de “tomar conta” em português

tomar contafica fora das 100.000 palavras portuguesas mais frequentes, na cauda longa de vocabulário técnico, arcaico ou raro, onde a dúvida ortográfica aperta.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

tomar conta is uncommon Portuguese outside the top frequency list, classed as aphrase. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for tomar conta, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable Portuguese rules. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct Portuguese form is tomar conta, spelled T-O-M-A-R- -C-O-N-T-A.

Definition

  1. 1
    cuidar, zelar
  2. 2
    passar a dominar, a exercer domínio, usando ou usufruindo ilegitimamente como se fosse o proprietário
  3. 3
    passar a ocupar um lugar em grande quantidade ou como principal elemento em quantidade, ou, e ou também em área ocupada
  4. 4
    alastrar sobre, passando a ocupar um lugar em grande quantidade ou como principal elemento em quantidade, ou, e ou também em área ocupada

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how tomar conta appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Rex toma conta das galinhas, por favor?
  2. Meu marido senta no sofá e toma conta do controle, e assiste apenas aos seus programas favoritos!

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "tomar conta"?
"tomar conta" is spelled T-O-M-A-R- -C-O-N-T-A.
What does "tomar conta" mean?
As a phrase, "tomar conta" means: cuidar, zelar
What language does "tomar conta" come from?
"tomar conta" is a Portuguese word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list