Which to use
“enxada” and “espada” are a confusable Portuguese pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #42,913
- “enxada” frequency rank
- #4,230
- “espada” frequency rank
- 47143
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | enxada | espada |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | instrumento que consiste em uma lâmina de metal, com um orifício na parte oposta ao gume em que se encaixa um cabo em sentido perpendicular, usado para capinar, revolver ou cavar a terra, misturar argamassas, concretos etc | arma branca composta por um punho e uma lâmina pontiaguda e comprida, com um ou dois gumes |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set enxada and espada 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. enxada (/ẽ.ˈʃa.dɐ/) and espada ([ɪs.ˈpa.dɐ] ; [es.ˈpa.dɐ]) 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 47143, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
enxada is recorded at frequency rank #42,913, classified as anoun, pronounced /ẽ.ˈʃa.dɐ/. espada is at rank #4,230, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ɪs.ˈpa.dɐ] ; [es.ˈpa.dɐ].
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 47143, this pair ranks #18,135 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.
Orthographic DNA of enxada vs espada
Shared letters: ade. Private to "enxada": nx. Private to "espada": ps.
"enxada" · 6 letters · shape VCCVCV · "espada" · 6 letters · shape VCCVCV
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "enxada" and "espada" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "enxada" or "espada"?
Remembering enxada vs espada
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 “enxada” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable