Which to use
“apenas” and “apesar” are a confusable Portuguese pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #104
- “apenas” frequency rank
- #404
- “apesar” frequency rank
- 508
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | apenas | apesar |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | somente | não obstante |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set apenas and apesar apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. apenas (/ɐ.ˈpe.nɐʃ/) and apesar (/ɐ.pe.ˈzaɾ/) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 508, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
apenas is recorded at frequency rank #104, classified as anadv, pronounced /ɐ.ˈpe.nɐʃ/. apesar is at rank #404, tagged as anadv, pronounced /ɐ.pe.ˈzaɾ/.
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 508, this pair ranks #75,158 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of apenas vs apesar
Shared letters: aeps. Private to "apenas": n. Private to "apesar": r.
"apenas" · 6 letters · shape VCVCVC · "apesar" · 6 letters · shape VCVCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "apenas" and "apesar" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "apenas" or "apesar"?
Remembering apenas vs apesar
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “apenas” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable