repelirvsrepetirWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#30,707
“repelir” frequency rank
#3,862
“repetir” frequency rank
34569
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature repelir repetir
Definition impelir para trás ou para fora tornar a dizer ou a fazer uma coisa já dita ou feita; bisar

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set repelir and repetir apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

7 ch
repelir
7 ch
repetir

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

repelir and repetir form a confusable pair in the Portuguese index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They differ by a single letter - l in “repelir” becomes t in “repetir” - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 34569, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

repelir is recorded at frequency rank #30,707, classified as averb, pronounced /Rɨ.pɨ.ˈliɾ/. repetir is at rank #3,862, tagged as averb, pronounced /Rɨ.pɨ.ˈtiɾ/.

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 34569, this pair ranks #32,657 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Frequency comparison

repelir#30,707
repetir#3,862

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "repelir" and "repetir" be used interchangeably?
No, "repelir" and "repetir" have distinct meanings and cannot be swapped without changing the meaning of a sentence. Understanding the specific definition and context for each word is essential for correct usage.

Remembering repelir vs repetir

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 “repelir” 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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list