Which to use
“n” and “num” are a confusable Portuguese pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #585
- “n” frequency rank
- #234
- “num” frequency rank
- 819
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | n | num |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | não | o mesmo que não |
Letter map: n vs num
Shared letters muted; letters that set n and num apart highlighted. Shared run: 1.
Pair insight - n / num
n and num are indexed as a confusable Portuguese pair. We have no recorded pronunciation or part of speech for both members, so the spelling overlap is what we can show you: they differ by 2 extra letter(s) - “n” sits inside “num”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 819, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
n is recorded at frequency rank #585, classified as anadv. num is at rank #234, tagged as anadv.
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 819, this pair ranks #74,819 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of n vs num
Shared letters: n. Private to "n": -. Private to "num": mu.
"n" · 1 letters · shape C · "num" · 3 letters · shape CVC
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "n" and "num" be used interchangeably?
In ordinary Portuguese text, does "n" or "num" show up more?
Useful next steps
Done with this confusable. These links stay specific to "n" and "num".
- Full dictionary entry for "n" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "num" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #74,819 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "n" and "num" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "nami vs num". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #74,819 of 75,631 scored Portuguese pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.