Which to use
“tambor” and “tombo” are a confusable Portuguese pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #14,471
- “tambor” frequency rank
- #19,867
- “tombo” frequency rank
- 34338
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | tambor | tombo |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | instrumento musical do tipo membranofone, consistindo de uma membrana esticada sobre um tubo ou caixa de ressonância que pode ser de vários formatos | ato ou efeito de tombar; queda |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set tambor and tombo apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. tambor (/tɐ̃.ˈboɾ/) and tombo (/ˈtõ.bu/) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 34338, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
tambor is recorded at frequency rank #14,471, classified as anoun, pronounced /tɐ̃.ˈboɾ/. tombo is at rank #19,867, tagged as anoun, pronounced /ˈtõ.bu/.
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 34338, this pair ranks #32,962 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of tambor vs tombo
Shared letters: bmot. Private to "tambor": ar. Private to "tombo": -.
"tambor" · 6 letters · shape CVCCVC · "tombo" · 5 letters · shape CVCCV
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "tambor" and "tombo" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "tambor" or "tombo"?
Remembering tambor vs tombo
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 “tambor” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable