Which to use
“maio” is a noun and “máximo” is an adjective - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #523
- “maio” frequency rank
- #1,578
- “máximo” frequency rank
- 2101
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | maio | máximo |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | quinto mês do ano civil, formado por 31 dias | o maior de todos |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set maio and máximo apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters 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: maio is /ˈmaj.ju/ while máximo is /ˈma.si.mu/. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 2 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (noun vs adjective), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 2101, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
maio is recorded at frequency rank #523, classified as anoun, pronounced /ˈmaj.ju/. máximo is at rank #1,578, tagged as anadj, pronounced /ˈma.si.mu/.
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 2101, this pair ranks #73,386 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of maio vs máximo
Shared letters: imo. Private to "maio": a. Private to "máximo": xá.
"maio" · 4 letters · shape CVVV · "máximo" · 6 letters · shape CVCVCV
Known mistypes of this pair
- maio ← amio · maoi · miao · mmaio
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "maio" and "máximo" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "maio" or "máximo"?
Remembering maio vs máximo
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a noun, it's “maio”; for an adjective, it's “máximo”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “maio” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable