matamvsmataremWhat's the difference?

Which to use

“matam” and “matarem” are a confusable Portuguese pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#7,546
“matam” frequency rank
#32,255
“matarem” frequency rank
39801
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature matam matarem
Definition terceira pessoa do plural do presente do indicativo do verbo matar terceira pessoa do plural do futuro do modo subjuntivo do verbo matar

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set matam and matarem apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

5 ch
matam
7 ch
matarem

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. matam (/ˈma.tɐ̃ʊm/) and matarem (/ma.ˈta.ɾẽɲ/) 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 2 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 39801, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

matam is recorded at frequency rank #7,546, classified as averb, pronounced /ˈma.tɐ̃ʊm/. matarem is at rank #32,255, tagged as averb, pronounced /ma.ˈta.ɾẽɲ/.

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 39801, this pair ranks #26,401 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of matam vs matarem

Shared letters: amt. Private to "matam": -. Private to "matarem": er.

"matam" · 5 letters · shape CVCVC  ·  "matarem" · 7 letters · shape CVCVCVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • matamamtam · maatm · matamm · matma · mattam · mmatam · mtaam
  • mataremamtarem · maatrem · mataerm · mataremm · matarme · matarrem · matraem · mattarem

Frequency comparison

matam#7,546
matarem#32,255

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "matam" and "matarem" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently (/ˈma.tɐ̃ʊm/ versus /ma.ˈta.ɾẽɲ/) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "matam" or "matarem"?
"matam" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #7,546 in our Portuguese list, against #32,255 for "matarem". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering matam vs matarem

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 “matam” 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