Which to use
“vão” is an adjective and “vas” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #253
- “vão” frequency rank
- #38,077
- “vas” frequency rank
- 38330
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | vão | vas |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | vazio | vaso |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set vão and vas 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: vão is anadjective and vasanoun. On the page they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 38330, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
vão is recorded at frequency rank #253, classified as anadj, pronounced /ˈvɐ̃w̃/ [ˈvɐ̃ʊ̯̃]. vas is at rank #38,077, tagged as anoun.
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 38330, this pair ranks #28,142 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of vão vs vas
Shared letters: v. Private to "vão": oã. Private to "vas": as.
"vão" · 3 letters · shape CVV · "vas" · 3 letters · shape CVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "vão" and "vas" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "vão" or "vas"?
Remembering vão vs vas
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need an adjective, it's “vão”; for a noun, it's “vas”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “vão” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable