seinvsseisWhat's the difference?

Quick tell: sein is a verb, seis is a num, so they fill different roles in a sentence.

Which to use

“sein” is a verb and “seis” is a num - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.

#43,647
“sein” frequency rank
#542
“seis” frequency rank
44189
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature sein seis
Definition ser, estar. número equivalente a cinco mais um; cardinalidade de um conjunto que contenha seis elementos distintos; representado pelo símbolo 6 (algarismos arábicos) ou VI (algarismos romanos)

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set sein and seis apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

4 ch
sein
4 ch
seis

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

sein and seis 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 - n in “sein” becomes s in “seis” - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 44189, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

sein is recorded at frequency rank #43,647, classified as averb, pronounced /zaɪ̯n/. seis is at rank #542, tagged as anum.

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 44189, this pair ranks #21,345 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Frequency comparison

sein#43,647
seis#542

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "sein" and "seis" be used interchangeably?
No, "sein" and "seis" 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 sein vs seis

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

  • Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “sein”; for a num, it's “seis”.
  • See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “sein” 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