Which to use
“sã” is a noun and “sem” is a preposition - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #17,153
- “sã” frequency rank
- #69
- “sem” frequency rank
- 17222
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | sã | sem |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | tempo propício, adequado, para semear | indicativa de carência ou ausência |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set sã and sem apart are highlighted. They share 1 letter in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
Our dataset has no pronunciation recorded for both members, so the reliable separator here is grammatical: sã is anoun and semapreposition. On the page they differ by 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 17222, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
sã is recorded at frequency rank #17,153, classified as anoun. sem is at rank #69, tagged as aprep, pronounced /sɐ̃j̃/.
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 17222, this pair ranks #54,091 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of sã vs sem
Shared letters: s. Private to "sã": ã. Private to "sem": em.
"sã" · 2 letters · shape CV · "sem" · 3 letters · shape CVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "sã" and "sem" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "sã" or "sem"?
Remembering sã vs sem
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a noun, it's “sã”; for a preposition, it's “sem”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “sã” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable