Which to use
“hão” is a verb and “hem” is an intj - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #24,033
- “hão” frequency rank
- #27,124
- “hem” frequency rank
- 51157
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | hão | hem |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | terceira pessoa do plural do presente do indicativo do verbo haver | expressa incompreensão, não entendimento, simultaneamente comunicando àquele ao qual se dirige, que elucide o sentido, o nexo, que dê clareza ou que melhor se fale ou expresse o que se acabou de comunicar |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set hão and hem apart are highlighted. They share 1 letter in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: hão is /ˈɐ̃w̃/ [ˈɐ̃ʊ̯̃] while hem is /ẽɲ/. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions, and the parts of speech differ too (verb vs intj), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 51157, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
hão is recorded at frequency rank #24,033, classified as averb, pronounced /ˈɐ̃w̃/ [ˈɐ̃ʊ̯̃]. hem is at rank #27,124, tagged as anintj, pronounced /ẽɲ/.
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 51157, this pair ranks #13,833 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.
Orthographic DNA of hão vs hem
Shared letters: h. Private to "hão": oã. Private to "hem": em.
"hão" · 3 letters · shape CVV · "hem" · 3 letters · shape CVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "hão" and "hem" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "hão" or "hem"?
Remembering hão vs hem
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “hão”; for an intj, it's “hem”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “hão” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable