Which to use
“pão” and “pau” are a confusable Portuguese pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #1,942
- “pão” frequency rank
- #2,492
- “pau” frequency rank
- 4434
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | pão | pau |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | alimento à base de farinha amassada, fermentada e assada em forno | bastão de madeira |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set pão and pau apart are highlighted. They share 1 letter in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. pão (/ˈpɐ̃w̃/) and pau (/ˈpaw/) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 4434, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
pão is recorded at frequency rank #1,942, classified as anoun, pronounced /ˈpɐ̃w̃/. pau is at rank #2,492, tagged as anoun, pronounced /ˈpaw/.
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 4434, this pair ranks #70,473 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of pão vs pau
Shared letters: p. Private to "pão": oã. Private to "pau": au.
"pão" · 3 letters · shape CVV · "pau" · 3 letters · shape CVV
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "pão" and "pau" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "pão" or "pau"?
Remembering pão vs pau
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 “pão” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable