Which to use
“segurar” and “separar” are a confusable Portuguese pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #4,268
- “segurar” frequency rank
- #5,043
- “separar” frequency rank
- 9311
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | segurar | separar |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | ter algo nas mãos ou entre as mãos | desunir o que estava ligado; estabelecer uma distância (ou aumentá-la) entre duas coisas ou grupos de coisas |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set segurar and separar apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
segurar and separar form a confusable pair in the Portuguese index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 9311, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
segurar is recorded at frequency rank #4,268, classified as averb, pronounced /sɨ.ɡu.ˈɾaɾ/. separar is at rank #5,043, tagged as averb, pronounced /sɨ.pɐ.ˈɾaɾ/.
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 9311, this pair ranks #64,158 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "segurar" and "separar" be used interchangeably?
Remembering segurar vs separar
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 “segurar” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable