cantarvscataWhat's the difference?

Quick tell: cantar is a verb, cata is a noun, so they fill different roles in a sentence.

Which to use

“cantar” is a verb and “cata” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.

#2,221
“cantar” frequency rank
#31,681
“cata” frequency rank
33902
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature cantar cata
Definition emitir sons vocálicos formando uma sequência melodiosa busca

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set cantar and cata apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

6 ch
cantar
4 ch
cata

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

Our dataset has no pronunciation recorded for both members, so the reliable separator here is grammatical: cantar is averb and cataanoun. On the page they differ by 2 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 33902, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

cantar is recorded at frequency rank #2,221, classified as averb. cata is at rank #31,681, tagged as anoun, pronounced /ˈka.tɐ/.

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 33902, this pair ranks #33,492 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of cantar vs cata

Shared letters: act. Private to "cantar": nr. Private to "cata": -.

"cantar" · 6 letters · shape CVCCVC  ·  "cata" · 4 letters · shape CVCV

Known mistypes of this pair

  • cantaracntar · canatr · canntar · cantarr · cantra · canttar · catnar · ccantar
  • cataacta · caat · catta · ccata · ctaa

Frequency comparison

cantar#2,221
cata#31,681

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "cantar" and "cata" be used interchangeably?
No - they are not even the same part of speech. "cantar" is a verb and "cata" a noun, so a sentence built for one is usually ungrammatical with the other.
Which is more common, "cantar" or "cata"?
"cantar" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #2,221 in our Portuguese list, against #31,681 for "cata". That is a wide gap, so in ordinary text the rarer spelling is the one worth double-checking.

Remembering cantar vs cata

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

  • Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “cantar”; for a noun, it's “cata”.
  • See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “cantar” entry
  • Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list