Which to use
“potável” and “provável” are a confusable Portuguese pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #13,364
- “potável” frequency rank
- #3,037
- “provável” frequency rank
- 16401
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | potável | provável |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | que se pode beber, que é bom para se beber | diz-se daquilo que pode ser ou pode acontecer |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set potável and provável apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. potável (/pu.ˈta.vɛɫ/) and provável (/pɾu.ˈva.vɛɫ/) 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 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 16401, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
potável is recorded at frequency rank #13,364, classified as anadj, pronounced /pu.ˈta.vɛɫ/. provável is at rank #3,037, tagged as anadj, pronounced /pɾu.ˈva.vɛɫ/.
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 16401, this pair ranks #55,143 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of potável vs provável
Shared letters: elopvá. Private to "potável": t. Private to "provável": r.
"potável" · 7 letters · shape CVCVCVC · "provável" · 8 letters · shape CCVCVCVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "potável" and "provável" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "potável" or "provável"?
Remembering potável vs provável
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 “potável” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable