Which to use
“vir” is a verb and “vírus” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #817
- “vir” frequency rank
- #2,346
- “vírus” frequency rank
- 3163
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | vir | vírus |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | transportar-se para o local onde está o interlocutor | agente infeccioso microscópico, que causa várias doenças (AIDS, gripe, etc.) e provoca a produção de anticorpos |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set vir and vírus apart are highlighted. They share 2 letters 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: vir is averb and vírusanoun. On the page they differ by 2 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 3163, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
vir is recorded at frequency rank #817, classified as averb. vírus is at rank #2,346, tagged as anoun, pronounced /ˈvi.ɾuʃ/.
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 3163, this pair ranks #72,031 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of vir vs vírus
Shared letters: rv. Private to "vir": i. Private to "vírus": suí.
"vir" · 3 letters · shape CVC · "vírus" · 5 letters · shape CVCVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "vir" and "vírus" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "vir" or "vírus"?
Remembering vir vs vírus
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “vir”; for a noun, it's “vírus”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “vir” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable