Which to use
“sós” is an adjective and “sou” is a verb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #16,887
- “sós” frequency rank
- #106
- “sou” frequency rank
- 16993
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | sós | sou |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | plural de só | primeira pessoa do singular do presente do indicativo do verbo ser |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set sós and sou 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: sós is anadjective and souaverb. On the page they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 16993, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
sós is recorded at frequency rank #16,887, classified as anadj. sou is at rank #106, tagged as averb, pronounced /ˈsow/, /ˈso/.
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 16993, this pair ranks #54,372 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of sós vs sou
Shared letters: s. Private to "sós": ó. Private to "sou": ou.
"sós" · 3 letters · shape CVC · "sou" · 3 letters · shape CVV
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "sós" and "sou" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "sós" or "sou"?
Remembering sós vs sou
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need an adjective, it's “sós”; for a verb, it's “sou”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “sós” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable