Which to use
“cagar” and “coçar” are a confusable Portuguese pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #15,037
- “cagar” frequency rank
- #23,956
- “coçar” frequency rank
- 38993
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | cagar | coçar |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | expelir pelo ânus; defecar | esfregar com as unhas, ou com outro objeto, qualquer parte do corpo onde se sente comichão |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set cagar and coçar apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. cagar (/kɐ'ɣaɾ/) and coçar (/ku.ˈsaɾ/) 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 38993, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
cagar is recorded at frequency rank #15,037, classified as averb, pronounced /kɐ'ɣaɾ/. coçar is at rank #23,956, tagged as averb, pronounced /ku.ˈsaɾ/.
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 38993, this pair ranks #27,367 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of cagar vs coçar
Shared letters: acr. Private to "cagar": g. Private to "coçar": oç.
"cagar" · 5 letters · shape CVCVC · "coçar" · 5 letters · shape CVCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
- cagar ← acgar · caagr · cagarr · caggar · ccagar · cgaar
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "cagar" and "coçar" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "cagar" or "coçar"?
Remembering cagar vs coçar
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 “cagar” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable