Which to use
“zé” is a noun and “zum” is a preposition - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #3,176
- “zé” frequency rank
- #43,231
- “zum” frequency rank
- 46407
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | zé | zum |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | indivíduo comum, do povo | ao, à, para o, para a |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set zé and zum 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: zé is anoun and zumapreposition. On the page they differ by 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 46407, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
zé is recorded at frequency rank #3,176, classified as anoun. zum is at rank #43,231, tagged as aprep, pronounced /t͡stʊm/.
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 46407, this pair ranks #18,898 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.
Orthographic DNA of zé vs zum
Shared letters: z. Private to "zé": é. Private to "zum": mu.
"zé" · 2 letters · shape CV · "zum" · 3 letters · shape CVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "zé" and "zum" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "zé" or "zum"?
Remembering zé vs zum
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a noun, it's “zé”; for a preposition, it's “zum”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “zé” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable