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A2 verb #4,500 más común 9 min de lectura

confessar

Top 4,500

Practícalo Ejemplos Notas y consejos confessar en 30 segundos

Explicación confessar in your Level:

At the A1 level, you should focus on the most basic use of 'confessar,' which is to admit a simple preference or a very small mistake. At this stage, you don't need to worry about complex legal or religious meanings. Instead, think of it as a way to say 'I have to tell you something honest.' You will mostly use it in the first person singular: 'Eu confesso que...' (I confess that...). For example, if you are talking about food, you might say 'Eu confesso que gosto de chocolate' (I confess that I like chocolate). This is a common way to express a 'guilty pleasure' in a lighthearted way. You should also recognize the word when you hear it in simple stories where a character admits they did something wrong, like 'Ele confessou o erro' (He confessed the mistake). Keep your sentences short and focus on the 'confessar que + sentence' pattern, as this is the easiest way to use the verb correctly without getting tangled in complex prepositional rules. Remember that the verb ends in '-ar,' so it follows the same pattern as 'falar' or 'estudar.' Practice saying 'Eu confesso' to get used to the nasal 'on' sound, which is essential for being understood.

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At the A2 level, you can begin to use 'confessar' to describe past actions and to talk about other people. You should be able to conjugate the verb in the Pretérito Perfeito (Past Tense) to say things like 'Ela confessou a verdade' (She confessed the truth). This level also introduces the idea of the indirect object—the person you are confessing to. You will start using 'para' or 'a' to indicate the listener: 'Eu confessei para o professor' (I confessed to the teacher). You should also be aware of the reflexive form 'confessar-se' in a basic religious context, as you might encounter this in cultural readings about festivals or daily life in Portugal and Brazil. A2 learners should also start to distinguish between 'confessar' and 'falar' (to speak) or 'dizer' (to say). While 'dizer' is just giving information, 'confessar' implies that the information was a secret. You can use it to add flavor to your stories: instead of saying 'He said he was tired,' you can say 'He confessed he was tired,' which adds a layer of depth, suggesting he was trying to hide his fatigue before.

By the B1 level, you are expected to use 'confessar' in more varied grammatical structures, including the imperfect tense and the conditional. You might say 'Eu confessaria se soubesse a verdade' (I would confess if I knew the truth). At this stage, you should also understand the nuances between 'confessar' and its synonyms like 'admitir.' You will use 'confessar' when there is a sense of relief or emotional weight involved. For example, in a discussion about relationships, you might use it to describe a breakthrough in communication: 'Eles finalmente confessaram seus sentimentos' (They finally confessed their feelings). You should also be comfortable using the verb in the subjunctive mood, which is common after expressions of doubt or desire: 'Espero que ele confesse logo' (I hope he confesses soon). Additionally, B1 learners should start recognizing 'confessar' in news reports and more formal texts, understanding that it carries a specific legal weight in those contexts. You should practice writing short paragraphs where 'confessar' is the turning point of a narrative, moving the story from a state of secrecy to one of clarity.

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At the B2 level, you should have a firm grasp of the idiomatic and formal uses of 'confessar.' You will encounter it in complex legal discussions, literature, and high-level journalism. You should understand the reflexive usage 'confessar-se culpado' (to plead guilty) and how it differs from simply 'confessar um crime.' At this level, you should also be able to use the verb to discuss abstract concepts, such as 'confessar uma fraqueza' (to confess a weakness) or 'confessar uma crença' (to profess/confess a belief). Your usage should reflect an understanding of the word's gravity. For instance, you might use it in a debate about ethics: 'É difícil confessar quando cometemos um erro institucional.' You should also be familiar with common collocations like 'confessar abertamente' (to confess openly) or 'confessar sob pressão' (to confess under pressure). B2 learners should be able to navigate the subtle social implications of the word—knowing that calling someone's statement a 'confissão' can sometimes imply they were hiding something negative, which can be a powerful tool in persuasive writing or speaking.

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As a C1 learner, you should be able to use 'confessar' with the sophistication of a native speaker, including its use in literary and philosophical contexts. You will understand how authors use the act of confession as a structural device in 'literatura confessional' (confessional literature). You should be able to analyze the psychological depth the word brings to a text, such as the relief of the 'consciência limpa' (clean conscience) that follows a confession. You will also use the word in very formal or archaic structures if necessary, though mainly you will focus on its precision. For example, you might distinguish between 'confessar' and 'depor' (to testify) in a legal context. Your vocabulary should include related nouns like 'confessionário' (confessional) and 'confidente' (confidant), and you should understand how they all relate to the core concept of trust. In conversation, you can use 'confessar' to set a specific tone—perhaps one of irony or deep intimacy. You should also be aware of the historical weight of the word in the context of the Inquisition or other historical periods in the Lusophone world where 'confessing' was a matter of life and death.

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At the C2 level, 'confessar' is a tool for expressing the finest shades of meaning. You are comfortable with the word in every possible register, from the street slang 'desembuchar' to the most elevated theological or legal discourse. You can use the word to discuss the 'natureza humana' (human nature) and the inherent need for honesty. You might explore the paradox of 'confessar sem dizer nada' (confessing without saying anything) through body language or silence in a literary analysis. You understand the etymological roots of the word and how they have branched out into modern usage across different Portuguese-speaking countries (e.g., subtle differences in how a lawyer in Lisbon vs. a lawyer in Luanda might use the term). You can use 'confessar' in complex rhetorical structures, such as using it as a 'praeteritio' (mentioning something by saying you won't mention it): 'Não vou nem confessar o que eu fiz...' You have reached a level where the word is not just a vocabulary item, but a cultural concept that you can manipulate to achieve specific emotional or intellectual effects in your audience.

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Practícalo Ejemplos Notas y consejos

confessar en 30 segundos

Confessar means to admit a secret, a mistake, or a crime.
It is a regular -ar verb, following the pattern of 'falar'.
Commonly used with 'que' to introduce the admission.
Has strong religious and legal connotations but is used casually too.

The Portuguese verb confessar is a powerful and emotionally charged term that translates primarily to 'to confess' or 'to admit.' At its core, it involves the act of revealing a truth that was previously hidden, often one that carries a weight of guilt, shame, or deep personal significance. While the English word 'confess' can sometimes feel strictly legal or religious, the Portuguese confessar is frequently used in everyday interpersonal relationships to describe the act of being honest about one's feelings or minor mistakes. It bridges the gap between the formal admission of a crime and the intimate disclosure of a secret crush.

The Legal and Moral Dimension: In a judicial or disciplinary context, confessar refers to the formal acknowledgement of an offense. For example, a suspect might confess to a crime under interrogation. This usage implies a transition from denial to acceptance of responsibility. It is often paired with objects like 'um crime' (a crime) or 'a verdade' (the truth).
The Religious Significance: Given the strong Catholic heritage in Lusophone countries, confessar-se (the reflexive form) is the standard term for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. When a person says 'Vou me confessar,' they are specifically referring to the act of telling their sins to a priest. This cultural layer adds a sense of gravity and relief to the word even in secular contexts.
Emotional Honesty: In romantic or platonic settings, the word is used to reveal hidden emotions. 'Confessar o seu amor' means to declare one's love. Here, the 'hidden' element is not necessarily a bad thing, but rather a private feeling that is finally being brought into the light of shared reality.

Depois de muitos anos de silêncio, ele finalmente decidiu confessar que sempre foi apaixonado por ela.

Translation: After many years of silence, he finally decided to confess that he was always in love with her.

Understanding confessar requires recognizing the tension between the 'internal world' and the 'external world.' When you confess, you are breaking the barrier between what you know privately and what the world knows publicly. It is an act of vulnerability. In Brazilian and Portuguese cultures, where social ties and emotional expression are highly valued, the act of confessing is often seen as a necessary step for maintaining trust and emotional health.

O réu recusou-se a confessar o roubo, apesar das evidências apresentadas pela polícia.

Translation: The defendant refused to confess to the robbery, despite the evidence presented by the police.

The grammar of confessar follows several distinct patterns depending on what is being admitted and to whom. It is a regular -ar verb, which makes its conjugation straightforward for learners, but the prepositions that follow it are crucial for sounding natural.

Pattern 1: Direct Object (Confessar algo): When you confess a specific thing, you use the object directly. Examples: 'Confessar um segredo' (to confess a secret), 'Confessar um pecado' (to confess a sin). There is no preposition between the verb and the noun.
Pattern 2: Indirect Object (Confessar a alguém): When you tell your confession to someone, you use the preposition a or para. For example: 'Eu confessei a verdade ao meu pai' (I confessed the truth to my father). In spoken Brazilian Portuguese, 'para' is extremely common: 'Confessei para ele.'
Pattern 3: Clause with 'Que' (Confessar que...): This is perhaps the most common usage. You use 'que' to introduce a full sentence explaining what is being admitted. 'Ela confessou que estava com medo' (She confessed that she was afraid).

Preciso confessar que não li o livro inteiro para a aula de hoje.

Translation: I must confess that I didn't read the whole book for today's class.

The reflexive form confessar-se is also vital. It means 'to go to confession' (religious) or 'to declare oneself' to be something. For instance, 'Ele confessou-se culpado' means 'He pleaded guilty' or 'He declared himself guilty.' This reflexive use emphasizes the state of the subject rather than just the action of speaking.

Ninguém queria confessar quem tinha quebrado o vaso de flores da sala.

Translation: Nobody wanted to confess who had broken the flower vase in the living room.

In the Lusophone world, confessar isn't just a word for the courtroom or the church; it permeates daily life, media, and literature. You will encounter it in various social 'layers' that reflect the culture's emphasis on transparency and emotional sharing.

Novelas and Drama: Portuguese and Brazilian soap operas (novelas) thrive on secrets. You will constantly hear characters say things like 'Tenho algo a confessar' (I have something to confess) before a major plot twist. It builds suspense and signals a transition from lies to truth.
The News and Police Reports: Journalists use the word when reporting on criminal investigations. Phrases like 'O suspeito confessou o crime' (The suspect confessed to the crime) are standard in 'Jornal Nacional' or other news outlets. It is a formal, objective use of the verb.
Casual Conversations: Among friends, 'confessar' is often used jokingly or to admit small preferences. 'Confesso que prefiro pizza do que sushi' (I confess I prefer pizza over sushi). This usage softens the 'gravity' of the word and makes it a tool for lighthearted honesty.

O político foi à televisão para confessar o seu envolvimento no escândalo de corrupção.

Translation: The politician went on television to confess his involvement in the corruption scandal.

Music is another place where confessar shines. Fado (in Portugal) and MPB or Sertanejo (in Brazil) are genres built on longing (saudade) and emotional disclosure. Lyrics often involve the singer 'confessing' their pain, their mistakes, or their undying love to a lost partner.

Naquela carta, ela decidiu confessar todos os seus medos mais profundos.

Translation: In that letter, she decided to confess all her deepest fears.

While confessar is a cognate of the English 'confess,' there are several pitfalls that English speakers often fall into when trying to use it naturally in Portuguese.

Overusing it for 'Admitting': Learners often use confessar where admitir or reconhecer would be more appropriate. If you are just acknowledging a fact (e.g., admitting that a certain team played better), use admitir. Save confessar for when there is a secret or a moral weight involved.
Preposition Errors: In English, we 'confess to' something. In Portuguese, we don't say 'confessar para um crime.' We say 'confessar um crime' (direct object). The preposition 'para' or 'a' is only used for the *person* receiving the confession.
The 'Confessar vs. Confessar-se' Confusion: If you say 'Eu confessei,' you are the one telling a secret. If you say 'Eu me confessei,' you are usually saying you went to a priest for the sacrament. Mixing these up in a religious country can lead to confusion about your weekend activities!

Errado: Eu confessei para ter roubado o pão.
Certo: Eu confessei ter roubado o pão.

Note: In Portuguese, the action confessed is the direct object.

Another mistake is forgetting the nasal 'n' and 'ss' sounds. Ensure the first syllable 'con-' is nasalized (don't pronounce the 'n' fully against your teeth) and the 'ss' is a sharp 's' sound, not a 'z' sound.

Errado: Ele confessou com a mãe.
Certo: Ele confessou à mãe (ou para a mãe).

Note: The person listening is the indirect object.

Portuguese offers several alternatives to confessar, each with its own nuance of formality and intensity. Choosing the right one depends on whether you are in a police station, a therapist's office, or a bar with friends.

Admitir: This is the most direct alternative. It is more neutral and less heavy than 'confessar.' You admitir a mistake or a fact. It doesn't necessarily imply that you were hiding it out of guilt.
Reconhecer: Literally 'to recognize.' In a legal or formal sense, it means to acknowledge responsibility. 'O governo reconheceu o erro' (The government recognized/admitted the error). It sounds more official and less personal.
Revelar: Meaning 'to reveal.' This is used when the focus is on the information itself being made public, rather than the act of the person speaking. It's often used for secrets or surprises.
Desembuchar (Slang): A very common Brazilian slang term. It literally means 'to spit it out.' You use it when someone is hesitating to tell you something. 'Desembucha logo!' (Just spit it out already!).

Ao invés de confessar, ele preferiu 'admitir' apenas parte da história para não se comprometer tanto.

Translation: Instead of confessing, he preferred to 'admit' only part of the story so as not to compromise himself as much.

When comparing these, think of a scale of intensity. Desembuchar is the most informal, admitir is neutral, reconhecer is formal/official, and confessar is the most emotionally or morally significant.

How Formal Is It?

Dato curioso

The root 'fateri' is also the ancestor of the word 'fate' (fatum), suggesting that what is spoken or acknowledged has a certain power over destiny.

Guía de pronunciación

UK /kõ.fɛ.ˈsaɾ/

US /kõ.fɛ.ˈsaʁ/

The stress is on the last syllable: con-fes-SAR.

Rima con

falar amar cantar andar olhar pensar sonhar chegar

Errores comunes

Pronouncing the first 'n' fully (it should just nasalize the 'o').
Making the 'ss' sound like a 'z' (it should be a sharp 's').
Closing the 'e' sound too much (it should be an open 'ɛ').
Stressing the second syllable instead of the third.
Forgetting the final 'r' sound in European Portuguese.

Nivel de dificultad

Lectura 2/5

Easy to recognize as it is a cognate of 'confess'.

Escritura 3/5

Requires knowledge of regular -ar verb conjugation.

Expresión oral 3/5

Need to master the nasal 'on' sound in 'con-'.

Escucha 2/5

Generally clear, especially in formal contexts.

Qué aprender después

Requisitos previos

falar dizer verdade segredo erro

Aprende después

admitir reconhecer revelar culpa perdão

Avanzado

prevaricar expiar redimir penitência conivência

Gramática que debes saber

Regular -ar verb conjugation

Eu confesso, Tu confessas, Ele confessa...

Indirect object with 'a' or 'para'

Confessei a verdade ao juiz.

Use of 'que' as a conjunction

Ela confessou que estava mentindo.

Reflexive pronouns with verbs

Ele se confessou ontem.

Subjunctive after expressions of emotion/will

Quero que você confesse.

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Ejemplos por nivel

Eu confesso que gosto de café.

I confess that I like coffee.

Present tense, first person singular.

Você precisa confessar!

You need to confess!

Infinitive form after the auxiliary verb 'precisar'.

Ele confessa o seu erro.

He confesses his mistake.

Present tense, third person singular.

Nós não confessamos nada.

We don't confess anything.

Negative sentence with 'nada' (nothing).

Ela quer confessar um segredo.

She wants to confess a secret.

Infinitive form after 'querer'.

Eu confesso que estou cansado.

I confess that I am tired.

Common expression of a state of being.

Eles confessam tudo hoje.

They confess everything today.

Present tense plural.

Você confessa a verdade?

Do you confess the truth?

Interrogative sentence.

O menino confessou que quebrou a janela.

The boy confessed that he broke the window.

Pretérito Perfeito (Past Tense).

Eu confessei meus sentimentos para ela.

I confessed my feelings to her.

Use of 'para' for the indirect object.

Eles não quiseram confessar o que fizeram.

They didn't want to confess what they did.

Compound verb structure with 'querer'.

Ela confessou ao pai que perdeu o dinheiro.

She confessed to her father that she lost the money.

Use of 'ao' (a + o) for the indirect object.

Nós confessamos o plano ontem.

We confessed the plan yesterday.

Past tense with a time marker 'ontem'.

Você já se confessou na igreja?

Have you already confessed (gone to confession) at church?

Reflexive use 'se confessar'.

O ladrão confessou o roubo rapidamente.

The thief confessed the robbery quickly.

Adverb 'rapidamente' modifying the action.

Confesso que não entendi a lição.

I confess that I didn't understand the lesson.

Dropping the subject pronoun 'Eu'.

Se eu soubesse, eu confessaria imediatamente.

If I knew, I would confess immediately.

Conditional tense.

É importante que você confesse seus erros.

It is important that you confess your mistakes.

Present Subjunctive after 'É importante que'.

Ela estava confessando tudo quando a polícia chegou.

She was confessing everything when the police arrived.

Past continuous (Gerund).

Eles haviam confessado o crime antes do julgamento.

They had confessed the crime before the trial.

Past Perfect (Mais-que-perfeito composto).

Confesso que me senti um pouco decepcionado.

I confess that I felt a bit disappointed.

Expressing an internal emotional state.

Ninguém esperava que ele confessasse tão cedo.

Nobody expected him to confess so soon.

Imperfect Subjunctive.

Ao confessar, ele sentiu um grande alívio.

Upon confessing, he felt a great relief.

Personal infinitive structure.

Você teria confessado se estivesse no meu lugar?

Would you have confessed if you were in my place?

Conditional perfect.

O réu confessou-se culpado de todas as acusações.

The defendant pleaded guilty to all charges.

Reflexive form 'confessar-se' meaning 'to plead'.

Confesso abertamente a minha admiração pelo seu trabalho.

I openly confess my admiration for your work.

Use of the adverb 'abertamente'.

A empresa confessou a falha no sistema de segurança.

The company admitted/confessed the flaw in the security system.

Institutional use of the verb.

Mesmo sob pressão, ele se recusou a confessar.

Even under pressure, he refused to confess.

The prepositional phrase 'sob pressão'.

Ela confessou ter ignorado os avisos de perigo.

She confessed to having ignored the danger warnings.

Confessar followed by a past infinitive.

O autor confessa suas influências no prefácio do livro.

The author confesses his influences in the book's preface.

Literary/Academic usage.

Deveríamos confessar nossas limitações para evoluir.

We should confess our limitations in order to evolve.

Abstract usage in a self-improvement context.

A testemunha acabou confessando que mentiu no depoimento.

The witness ended up confessing that they lied in the testimony.

The auxiliary 'acabar' + gerund.

A obra confessa uma profunda angústia existencial.

The work confesses (reveals) a deep existential anguish.

Metaphorical use where the 'subject' is an inanimate object.

Confesso-me incapaz de compreender tamanha crueldade.

I confess myself unable to understand such cruelty.

Formal reflexive structure with an adjective.

O historiador confessa a dificuldade de encontrar fontes fiáveis.

The historian confesses the difficulty of finding reliable sources.

Academic register.

Ao se confessar, o penitente busca a remissão dos seus pecados.

By confessing, the penitent seeks the remission of their sins.

Specific religious terminology.

Ele confessou a autoria do crime em um momento de fraqueza.

He confessed to the authorship of the crime in a moment of weakness.

Formal phrase 'autoria do crime'.

Confesso que a proposta, embora tentadora, me parece arriscada.

I confess that the proposal, although tempting, seems risky to me.

Complex sentence with a concessive clause.

A personagem confessa seus pecados ao leitor através do monólogo.

The character confesses their sins to the reader through the monologue.

Literary analysis context.

Não se pode confessar o que a alma ainda não processou.

One cannot confess what the soul has not yet processed.

Philosophical/Abstract use.

O texto confessa a genealogia do pensamento do autor.

The text confesses (reveals) the genealogy of the author's thought.

Highly abstract/Academic usage.

Confessar-se é, em última análise, um ato de libertação do ego.

To confess is, ultimately, an act of liberation from the ego.

Infinitive as a subject in a philosophical statement.

A arquitetura da cidade confessa o seu passado colonial.

The city's architecture confesses (reveals) its colonial past.

Metaphorical use in urban studies.

Ele confessou as suas prevaricações perante a comissão de inquérito.

He confessed his malfeasance/transgressions before the commission of inquiry.

Very formal vocabulary ('prevaricações').

Confesso que a vossa vinda me apanhou de surpresa.

I confess that your arrival caught me by surprise.

Use of 'vossa' (formal/archaic second person).

O silêncio do acusado confessava mais do que qualquer palavra.

The accused's silence confessed more than any word.

Personification of silence.

É imperativo confessar as sombras para que a luz possa entrar.

It is imperative to confess the shadows so that the light may enter.

Mystical/Poetic usage.

Confesso-me exausto de lutar contra moinhos de vento.

I confess myself exhausted from fighting windmills.

Idiomatic reference to Don Quixote.

Colocaciones comunes

confessar um crime

confessar a verdade

confessar um erro

confessar sentimentos

confessar pecados

confessar abertamente

confessar sob tortura

confessar-se culpado

confessar uma fraqueza

confessar ignorância

Frases Comunes

Tenho que confessar...

— A very common way to start a sentence when you are about to say something honest or surprising.

Tenho que confessar que não gosto de futebol.

Confesso que...

— Shortened version of the above, used frequently in writing and speech.

Confesso que estou surpreso com a notícia.

Confessar de vez

— To confess once and for all, fully and without reservation.

Ele resolveu confessar de vez o que sentia.

Confessar-se com um padre

— Specifically refers to the religious act of confession.

Ela vai se confessar com o padre todos os meses.

Nada a confessar

— Commonly said at customs or in legal situations to mean 'I have nothing to declare/admit'.

O passageiro disse que não tinha nada a confessar.

Confessar um segredo

— To reveal a secret to someone.

Posso te confessar um segredo?

Confessar a culpa

— To admit that one is responsible for something bad.

Ninguém queria confessar a culpa pelo vidro quebrado.

Confessar por escrito

— To make a confession in a written format.

Ele confessou tudo por escrito na delegacia.

Confessar publicamente

— To admit something in front of many people.

O artista confessou publicamente sua luta contra a depressão.

Ir confessar

— Colloquial way to say one is going to the religious sacrament.

Vou confessar amanhã de manhã.

Se confunde a menudo con

confessar vs conferir

Means 'to check' or 'to verify', not 'to confess'.

confessar vs professar

Means 'to profess' (like a religion or belief), while 'confessar' is for admitting something hidden.

confessar vs confortar

Means 'to comfort', nothing to do with admitting secrets.

Modismos y expresiones

"Confessar-se vencido"

— To admit defeat or give up after trying something.

Depois de três tentativas, ele confessou-se vencido.

neutral

"Confessar a meia voz"

— To admit something quietly or hesitantly.

Ela confessou a meia voz que tinha medo do escuro.

literary

"Confessar de coração"

— To confess something very sincerely and deeply.

Ele confessou de coração o seu arrependimento.

emotional

"Confessar na marra"

— To confess under force or against one's will.

O suspeito acabou confessando na marra.

informal

"Abrir o coração e confessar"

— To reveal one's deepest feelings or secrets.

Ela abriu o coração e confessou que ainda o amava.

informal

"Confessar o que a alma dita"

— To say what one truly feels deep down.

Ele sempre confessa o que a alma dita, sem filtros.

poetic

"Confessar para as paredes"

— To admit something when no one is listening or when it has no effect.

Falar com ele é como confessar para as paredes.

informal

"Confessar o jogo"

— To reveal one's strategy or true intentions (similar to 'show your hand').

Finalmente, a empresa confessou o jogo e mostrou os novos planos.

metaphorical

"Confessar a Deus e ao mundo"

— To tell everyone about something that was a secret.

Ela confessou a Deus e ao mundo que ganhou na loteria.

informal

"Confessar-se a si mesmo"

— To admit a truth to oneself that one was denying.

Ele precisava confessar-se a si mesmo que precisava de ajuda.

psychological

Fácil de confundir

confessar vs Admitir

Both mean 'to admit'.

'Confessar' implies a secret or guilt; 'Admitir' is more neutral.

Eu admito que o filme é longo, mas confesso que chorei no final.

confessar vs Revelar

Both involve telling something hidden.

'Revelar' focuses on the information; 'Confessar' focuses on the person's admission of involvement.

O jornal revelou o esquema, e o diretor confessou sua participação.

confessar vs Reconhecer

Both can mean accepting a truth.

'Reconhecer' is often about identifying something or accepting a formal responsibility.

Ele reconheceu a assinatura no documento e confessou ter assinado.

confessar vs Declarar

Both involve stating something clearly.

'Declarar' is a formal statement; 'Confessar' is a personal admission.

Ele declarou seus impostos e confessou que cometeu um erro no ano passado.

confessar vs Desabafar

Both involve talking about personal things.

'Desabafar' is about venting emotions for relief; 'Confessar' is about admitting a specific fact or guilt.

Eu preciso desabafar com você, então vou confessar o que eu fiz.

Patrones de oraciones

Eu confesso que [verb/adj].

Eu confesso que estou feliz.

[Subject] confessou o [noun].

O menino confessou o erro.

[Subject] confessou [noun] para [person].

Ela confessou o segredo para a mãe.

É difícil confessar que [clause].

É difícil confessar que falhamos.

[Subject] confessou ter [past participle].

Ele confessou ter perdido o documento.

Confesso-me [adjective] de [infinitive].

Confesso-me incapaz de ajudar.

Se você [subjunctive], eu confesso.

Se você perguntar, eu confesso.

Você já se confessou?

Você já se confessou hoje?

Familia de palabras

Sustantivos

confissão (confession)

confessionário (confessional)

confesso (a person who has confessed)

confidente (confidant)

Verbos

confessar (to confess)

confessar-se (to confess oneself/go to confession)

Adjetivos

confessado (confessed)

confessional (confessional)

inconfessável (unconfessable/shameful)

Relacionado

fé (faith)

fiel (faithful)

confiança (trust)

confiar (to trust)

confidência (confidence/secret)

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Cómo usarlo

frequency

High, especially in personal narratives and media.

Errores comunes

Using 'confessar para' for the crime. → Confessar o crime.
In Portuguese, you confess the thing directly. 'Para' is only for the person listening.
Pronouncing 'ss' as 'z'. → Pronounce it as 's'.
Double 's' in Portuguese always makes a voiceless 's' sound, never a 'z' sound.
Confusing 'confessar' with 'conferir'. → Use 'confessar' for admitting, 'conferir' for checking.
These are false friends. 'Conferir' means to check or verify (e.g., checking a list).
Forgetting the nasal 'n'. → Nasalize the 'o'.
If you pronounce a hard 'n' like in English 'con-tact', it sounds less native. It should be a nasal 'õ'.
Using 'confessar' for 'profess' a religion in a general way. → Professar a religião.
While related, 'professar' is the correct term for holding a belief, while 'confessar' is for admitting specific acts.

Consejos

Verb Tense Tip

When telling a story about a secret coming out, use the Pretérito Perfeito (confessei) for the moment of confession and the Imperfeito (escondia) for the time you were hiding it.

Social Nuance

In Portugal, 'confessar' can sound a bit more formal than in Brazil. In Brazil, it's used very casually to admit small things like 'I confess I didn't like the coffee'.

Synonym Choice

If you want to sound less dramatic, use 'admitir'. Use 'confessar' when you want to emphasize that you were keeping a secret.

Nasal Vowels

The 'con-' in 'confessar' is a nasal vowel. Don't let your tongue touch the roof of your mouth for the 'n'. It's all in the nose!

Using 'Que'

Always remember that 'confessar que' is followed by an indicative verb if you are stating a fact: 'Confesso que fui eu'.

Catching the Reflexive

If you hear 'me confessei', 'se confessou', etc., the person is likely talking about their religious life or a deeply personal self-admission.

Filler Phrase

Use 'Vou te confessar uma coisa...' (I'm going to confess something to you...) to grab someone's attention before telling a secret.

Latin Roots

Knowing it comes from 'confiteri' helps you relate it to English 'confess' and French 'confesser'.

Legal Context

In news reports, look for the phrase 'confessou a autoria' which means 'admitted to being the author/doer' of a crime.

Mnemonic

Associate 'confessar' with a 'confessional' box in a church to remember its primary meaning of admitting secrets/sins.

Memorízalo

Mnemotecnia

Think of 'Con-fess'. The 'Con' is like 'With' and 'Fess' is like 'Facts'. You are coming 'with facts' that you were hiding.

Asociación visual

Imagine a person standing in front of a bright spotlight, finally stepping out of the shadows to speak their truth.

Word Web

Verdade Segredo Culpa Igreja Crime Amor Admitir Honestidade

Desafío

Try to use 'confessar' three times today: once for a food preference, once for a small mistake, and once in a question to a friend.

Origen de la palabra

From the Latin 'confiteri', which is composed of 'con-' (completely) and 'fateri' (to acknowledge or admit).

Significado original: To acknowledge, to own, to admit, or to declare.

Romance (Latin-derived).

Contexto cultural

Be aware that in a religious context, asking someone if they 'se confessaram' can be a personal question about their faith and practice.

English speakers might find 'confessar' more common in daily Portuguese than 'confess' is in daily English, where 'admit' is often preferred.

Confissões de Santo Agostinho (a fundamental religious/philosophical text). Confissões de Adolescente (a famous Brazilian TV series from the 90s). The song 'Confesso' by the Brazilian band Ana Carolina.

Practica en la vida real

Contextos reales

Legal

Confessar o crime
Confessar sob custódia
Confessar-se culpado
Retirar a confissão

Religious

Ir se confessar
Confessar os pecados
Ouvir a confissão
Ato de confessar

Romantic

Confessar o amor
Confessar uma traição
Confessar sentimentos
Confessar atração

Academic/Professional

Confessar ignorância
Confessar o erro
Confessar dificuldades
Confessar limitações

Social/Casual

Confesso que prefiro...
Tenho que confessar...
Confessa!
Não confesso nada

Inicios de conversación

"Você tem algum segredo que gostaria de confessar?"

"Eu confesso que não gosto de pizza com abacaxi. E você?"

"Qual foi a coisa mais difícil que você já teve que confessar?"

"Você acha que é sempre melhor confessar a verdade ou às vezes é melhor mentir?"

"Se você ganhasse na loteria, você confessaria para todo mundo ou guardaria segredo?"

Temas para diario

Escreva sobre um momento em que você teve que confessar um erro difícil.

Confesse três coisas que você ama, mas que a maioria das pessoas não gosta.

O que você confessaria para o seu 'eu' do passado se pudesse?

Descreva a sensação de alívio após confessar algo que estava te incomodando.

Se você fosse um personagem de um livro, qual seria o seu grande segredo a confessar?

Preguntas frecuentes

10 preguntas

Not necessarily. While it often refers to crimes or mistakes, you can also 'confessar' positive feelings like love or admiration. It simply means revealing something that was previously private.

You don't use 'to' (para) for the object of the confession. You say 'Eu confesso o crime' (I confess the crime). You only use 'para' for the person you are talking to: 'Eu confessei para ele'.

Yes, it is a regular -ar verb. Its conjugation follows the same pattern as 'falar', 'estudar', and 'trabalhar'.

'Confessar' is the act of admitting something. 'Se confessar' is reflexive and almost always refers to the religious act of going to confession with a priest.

Yes, but it sounds quite serious. If a company 'confessa' a mistake, it implies a major failure. For smaller errors, 'admitir' or 'reconhecer' is more common.

Very common. Brazilians use it frequently in both serious and lighthearted contexts, often starting sentences with 'Confesso que...'.

The noun is 'confissão' (confession). For example: 'A confissão foi gravada'.

Usually, 'professar' is used for religions (e.g., professar a fé católica). 'Confessar' is used for the specific act of admitting sins within that faith.

It is pronounced like a sharp 's' (as in 'snake'). It never sounds like a 'z'.

Yes, 'desembuchar' is a popular slang term used to tell someone to 'spit it out' and confess what they are hiding.

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