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63 duplas de palavras em inglês que muita gente confunde

Lígia Crispino, sócia-diretora da Companhia de Idiomas, lista 126 palavras em inglês com a mesma pronúncia, mas sentidos diferentes - o que causa muita confusão

Mulher com dúvida (eternalcreative/Thinkstock)

Mulher com dúvida (eternalcreative/Thinkstock)

DR

Da Redação

Publicado em 16 de agosto de 2016 às 17h41.

* Escrito por Lígia Crispino, sócia-diretora da Companhia de Idiomas e da ProfCerto

Você já ouviu falar em palavras homófonas? O termo pode parecer complicado, mas conhecê-lo pode facilitar muito a sua vida quando for falar inglês. Todos os dias vemos muitos alunos com dificuldade justamente na pronúncia desses vocábulos.

Homófonos são palavras que têm a mesma pronúncia, mas diferem em significado e ortografia. Existem mais de 400 pares ou trios de palavras homófonas no inglês. Abaixo, listamos os pares mais importantes. Confira:

Inglês Tradução Inglês Tradução
Air Ar heir Herdeiro
Aisle Corredor isle Ilhota
Bare Despido, exposto bear Urso /
      verbo suportar
Be Verbo ser/ estar bee Abelha
Brake Freio Break Quebrar
Buy Comprar By Por, pelo
Cell Célula /Celular Sell Vender
Cent cento Scent Aroma, perfume
    Sent Passado e particípio do verbo enviar
Cereal cereal Serial Serial, em série
Course Curso Coarse Áspero, rude, grosseiro
Complement Complemento Compliment Elogio
Dam Dique Damn Amaldiçoar, blasfemar. Substantivo: Maldição
Dear Querido Deer Veado
Die Morrer Dye Tingir
Eye Olho I Eu
Fair Justo Fare Preço da passagem
Flour Farinha Flower Flor
For Para Four Quatro
Hair Cabelo Hare lebre
Heal Curar Heel Salto alto
Hear Ouvir Here Aqui
Hole Buraco Whole inteiro
Hour Hora Our Nosso / nossa
Idle Ocioso Idol Ídolo
Night Noite Knight Cavaleiro
Not Não Knot
No Não Know Saber, conhecer
New Novo Knew Passado do verbo saber
Made Passado e particípio do verbo fazer, produzir Maid Empregada doméstica
Male Masculino Mail Correio, correspondência
Meat carne Meet Encontrar, reunir
Morning Manhã Mourning Luto, pranto
None Nenhum Nun Freira
One Um Won Passado e particípio do verbo vencer
Pair Par Pear Pera
Peace Paz Piece Pedaço
Plain Plano Plane Avião
Poor Pobre Pour Despejar
Pray Rezar Prey Presa (caça)
Principal Diretor de escola, reitor / dirigente Principle Princípio
Real Real Reel Bobina, carretel
Right Certo Write Escrever
Root Raiz Route Rota
Sale Venda Sail Velejar
Sea Mar See ver
Seam Coser, costurar / Marcar o rosto com rugas. Seem parecer
  Substantivo: costura, sutura    
Sight Vista, visão Site Local, terreno
Sew Costurar So Então, portanto
Sole Único (a) Soul Alma
  Sola do pé    
Some Alguns (mas) Sum Somar, soma
Son Filho Sun Sol
Stair Degrau / Escada (stairs) Stare Fitar, encarar
Steal Roubar Steel Ferro
Suite Suíte em hotel / conjunto, jogo / comitiva Sweet Doce
Tail Rabo, cauda Tale Conto / narrativa
Their Deles, delas There
To Para Too Também
Toe Dedo do pé Tow Guinchar, rebocar
Waist Cintura Waste Desperdiçar
Wait Esperar Weight Peso
Way Caminho Weigh Pesar, mensurar
Weak Fraco Week Semana
Wear Vestir Where Onde
* Algumas palavras da lista acima estão apenas com seus significados mais comuns em português

Para conferir o som de cada palavra da lista, use o Free Dictionary. Lá você tem a pronúncia americana e britânica.

Agora, vamos praticar um pouco? Preencha as frases com as palavras abaixo:

Knew - New - Pair - Pear - Sea - See - Hear - Here -

Be - Bee - Hair - Hare - Dear - Deer Right - Write -

Piece - Peace - Bear - Bare - Cent - Scent - Sent -

Flour - Flower - Knot - Not

1. The cake needed ______________, which had dropped out on the way.
2. The ________________ had no water so it started to wilt.
3. Unfortunately your decision was not __________.
4. I want to ___________ another book next year.
5. My favorite fruit is _________ because it is very juicy and has lots of flavor.
6. I had just bought a new _____________ of shoes at the store and when I went to school another girl had the same exact shoes.
7. I ____________ a lot of things when I am home alone with my sister.
8. I am going to be _____________in the office until 8pm.
9. I will _________ at the park with some friends in the afternoon.
10. The __________ makes honey.
11. It is really sad to see that there are people who still go hunting and kill animals such as _________.
12. What a __________ she is!
13. I go out to _________ every year with my parents for a cruise on blue majestic waters.
14. I __________ lots of things outside of school that no one knows about.
15. I asked my dad if he could give me a __________ of cake and he forgot to bring it to me.
16. He was arrested for disturbing the _____________.
17. She got her __________ cut yesterday.
18. A ____________ is always jumping around like a bunny.
19. He was attacked by a ____________in the forest.
20. I felt _________ without my makeup.
21. I suddenly got a ____________ in my stomach I had forgotten Lizzy's present .
22. It's __________ my fault you that you can't speak English!
23. I ____________ it was going to happen...
24. I’ve just bought a brand __________ car.
25. I bought a chocolate bar for a _____________.
26. The boy's __________ smelt musky and strong.
27. The troops were ________ to the Middle East.

Respostas

1.The cake needed flour, which had dropped out on the way.
2. The flower had no water so it started to wilt.
3. Unfortunately your decision was not right.
4. I want to write another book next year.
5. My favorite fruit is a pear because it is very juicy and has lots of flavor.
6. I had just bought a new pair of shoes at the store and when I went to school another girl had the same exact shoes.
7. I hear a lot of things when I am home alone with my sister.
8. I am going to be here in the office until 8pm.
9. I will be at the park with some friends in the afternoon.
10. The bee makes honey.
11. It is really sad to see that there are people who still go hunting and kill animals such as the deer.
12. What a dear she is!
13. I go out to sea every year with my parents for a cruise on blue majestic waters.
14. I see lots of things outside of school that no one knows about.
15. I asked my dad if he could give me a piece of cake and he forgot to bring it to me.
16. He was arrested for disturbing the Peace.
17. She got her hair cut yesterday.
18. A hare is always jumping around like a bunny.
19. He was attacked by a bear in the forest.
20. I felt bare without my makeup.
21. I suddenly got a knot in my stomach I had forgotten Lizzy's present .
22. It's not my fault you that you can't speak English!
23. I knew it was going to happen...
24. I’ve just bought a brand new car.
25. I bought a chocolate bar for a cent.
26. The boy's scent smelt musky and strong.
27. The troops were sent to the Middle East.

Lígia Velozo Crispino, fundadora e sócia-diretora da Companhia de Idiomas e da ProfCerto. Autora do livro de poemas "Fora da Linha", é colunista dos portais RH.com e Vagas Profissões.
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