Which to use
“tak” is a particle and “tão” is an adverb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #42,692
- “tak” frequency rank
- #119
- “tão” frequency rank
- 42811
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | tak | tão |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | sim | tanto, com tal intensidade |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set tak and tão 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: tak is aparticle and tãoanadverb. On the page they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 42811, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
tak is recorded at frequency rank #42,692, classified as aparticle. tão is at rank #119, tagged as anadv, pronounced /ˈtɐ̃w̃/.
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 42811, this pair ranks #22,907 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of tak vs tão
Shared letters: t. Private to "tak": ak. Private to "tão": oã.
"tak" · 3 letters · shape CVC · "tão" · 3 letters · shape CVV
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "tak" and "tão" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "tak" or "tão"?
Remembering tak vs tão
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a particle, it's “tak”; for an adverb, it's “tão”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “tak” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable