Which to use
“usar” is a verb and “use” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #359
- “usar” frequency rank
- #2,168
- “use” frequency rank
- 2527
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | usar | use |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | empregar habitualmente; fazer uso de; gastar com o uso; pôr em prática; pôr em uso; servir-se de; trazer ou fazer habitualmente; ter por costume; costumar; cotiar; deteriorar; praticar; trajar; trazer; vestir | uso |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set usar and use apart are highlighted. They share 2 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
usar and use 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 1 letter(s) in length - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 2527, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
usar is recorded at frequency rank #359, classified as averb, pronounced /u.ˈzaɾ/. use is at rank #2,168, tagged as anoun, pronounced (subst) /jus/, (verbo) /juz/.
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 2527, this pair ranks #72,830 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "usar" and "use" be used interchangeably?
Remembering usar vs use
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “usar”; for a noun, it's “use”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “usar” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable