Which to use
“matar” is a verb and “mater” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #1,053
- “matar” frequency rank
- #31,868
- “mater” frequency rank
- 32921
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | matar | mater |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | causar morte, tirar a vida | maternidade, estabelecimento público ou privado destinado a receber mulheres que estão a ponto de dar a luz |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set matar and mater apart are highlighted. They share 4 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: matar is /mɐ.ˈtaɾ/ while mater is /ma.tɛʁ/. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by a single letter - a in “matar” becomes e in “mater”, and the parts of speech differ too (verb vs noun), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 32921, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
matar is recorded at frequency rank #1,053, classified as averb, pronounced /mɐ.ˈtaɾ/. mater is at rank #31,868, tagged as anoun, pronounced /ma.tɛʁ/.
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 32921, this pair ranks #34,731 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of matar vs mater
Shared letters: amrt. Private to "matar": -. Private to "mater": e.
"matar" · 5 letters · shape CVCVC · "mater" · 5 letters · shape CVCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "matar" and "mater" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "matar" or "mater"?
Remembering matar vs mater
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “matar”; for a noun, it's “mater”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “matar” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable