confiar vs fiar-se
Portuguese word comparison
Listen to confiar
Listen to fiar-se
| confiar | fiar-se |
|---|---|
/con-fi-AR/ verb | /fee-AHR-seh/ verb |
| to trust; to rely on someone or something | to rely on; to trust in someone or something |
How they differ
"Fiar-se" is close to "confiar", but it often sounds a bit more literary, old-fashioned, or regional depending on the context. It can also feel slightly more like depending on a person or thing as support.
When to use each
When to use confiar: Use "confiar" as the default choice in modern Brazilian and European Portuguese.
When to use fiar-se: Use "fiar-se" when you want a more literary or idiomatic alternative, especially in phrases like "fiar-se em".
Side-by-side examples
- Eu confio no seu julgamento.
(I trust your judgment.) - Não se fie em promessas vazias.
(Do not rely on empty promises.)
Register & nuance: "Fiar-se" is less common in everyday speech than "confiar" and often sounds more formal, literary, or regional.