Which to use
“coisa” and “cólica” are a confusable Portuguese pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #105
- “coisa” frequency rank
- #34,652
- “cólica” frequency rank
- 34757
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | coisa | cólica |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | qualquer objeto inanimado; em sentido filosófico, coisa é tudo aquilo subsistente por si mesmo; a filosofia kantiana afirma ser uma coisa aquilo que existe independentemente do espírito; no sentido usual, como para o Direito, coisa é tudo aquilo que, percebido pelos sentidos, pode apresentar utilidade para o homem, caso em que se chama bem material | dor intensa na cavidade abdominal |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set coisa and cólica 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. coisa ([ˈkojzɐ]) and cólica (/ˈkɔ.li.kɐ/) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 34757, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
coisa is recorded at frequency rank #105, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈkojzɐ]. cólica is at rank #34,652, tagged as anoun, pronounced /ˈkɔ.li.kɐ/.
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 34757, this pair ranks #32,427 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of coisa vs cólica
Shared letters: aci. Private to "coisa": os. Private to "cólica": ló.
"coisa" · 5 letters · shape CVVCV · "cólica" · 6 letters · shape CVCVCV
Known mistypes of this pair
- coisa ← ccoisa · ciosa · coias · coissa · cosia · ocisa
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "coisa" and "cólica" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "coisa" or "cólica"?
Remembering coisa vs cólica
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 “coisa” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable