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'Cometer um erro': one verb for mistakes and crimes

English uses two different verbs for doing something wrong: you make a mistake, but you commit a crime. Portuguese uses the same verb for both: cometer. You say cometer um erro and cometer um crime, and the same verb works with engano, furto, pecado and many other words for errors and offenses.

The crime half is easy for English speakers, because commit and cometer look and work alike. The mistake half is where learners slip. They translate make a mistake word for word and produce fazer um erro, which sounds wrong to native speakers.

Word list
erromA2 mistake cometer um erro = make a mistake, never fazer um erro assassinatomB1 murder cometer um assassinato = commit a murder assassíniomB1 murder cometer um assassínio = commit a murder, common in Portugal cometer um erroB1 to make a mistake cometer um erro = make a mistake, learn as one chunk crimemB1 crime cometer um crime = commit a crime delitomB1 crime cometer um delito = commit a crime, technical term enganomB1 mistake cometer um engano = make a mistake, also enganar-se homicídiomB1 murder cometer um homicídio = commit a murder, legal term assaltomB2 robbery cometer um assalto = commit a robbery, also fazer um assalto cometerB2 to commit cometer = to commit, used as cometer + mistake, crime or sin corrupçãofB2 corruption cometer (atos de) corrupção = commit corruption, also praticar corrupção descuidomB2 carelessness cometer um descuido = make a slip, never fazer um descuido equívocomB2 mistake cometer um equívoco = make a mistake, more formal furtomB2 theft cometer um furto = commit a theft, without violence roubomB2 robbery cometer um roubo = commit a robbery roubomB2 theft cometer um roubo = commit a theft traiçãofB2 betrayal cometer uma traição = commit a betrayal branqueamento de capitaismC1 money laundering cometer (o crime de) branqueamento de capitais = commit money laundering, Portugal calúniafC1 defamation cometer calúnia = commit defamation crime de guerramC1 war crime cometer crimes de guerra = commit war crimes difamaçãofC1 defamation cometer difamação = commit defamation lavagem de dinheirofC1 money laundering cometer (o crime de) lavagem de dinheiro = commit money laundering, Brazil negligênciafC1 carelessness cometer (uma) negligência = commit negligence, as in o médico cometeu negligência pecadomC1 sin cometer um pecado = commit a sin plágiomC1 plagiarism cometer plágio = commit plagiarism, no article torturafC1 torture cometer atos de tortura = commit torture, legal usage, also praticar tortura apropriação indébitafC2 embezzlement cometer apropriação indébita = commit embezzlement, legal term estupromC2 rape cometer um estupro = commit a rape, Brazil peculatomC2 embezzlement cometer peculato = commit embezzlement, no article violaçãofC2 rape cometer uma violação = commit a rape, Portugal, also any violation
How it works

The pattern is simple: cometer + article + noun. The noun names something that went wrong, whether it is an accident, a moral failing or a legal offense. Portuguese does not divide these into different groups the way English does. A typo and a robbery are both things you cometer.

Cometi um erro no cálculo.
(I made a mistake in the calculation.)
Ele foi acusado de cometer um crime.
(He was accused of committing a crime.)

Rule of thumb: if English would say commit, Portuguese says cometer. If English says make a mistake, Portuguese still says cometer. The whole expression cometer um erro is worth learning as a single chunk.

The words
Mistakes

Erro is the everyday word. Engano is often a mix-up, such as the wrong number or the wrong order. Equívoco is more formal and suggests a misunderstanding or an error of judgement.

Desculpe, cometi um engano: o seu pedido era sem cebola.
(Sorry, I made a mistake: your order was without onion.)
O jornal cometeu um equívoco ao publicar o nome errado.
(The newspaper made a mistake by publishing the wrong name.)
Crimes in general

Crime is the general word. Delito is more technical and often refers to a less serious offense. For the most serious crimes, homicídio is the legal term, while assassinato and assassínio are closer to English murder. Assassínio is more common in Portugal. News reports also use cometer with estupro (Brazil) and violação (Portugal) for sexual assault. The passive form is very frequent in the news.

A polícia acredita que o homicídio foi cometido por alguém da família.
(The police believe the homicide was committed by someone in the family.)
Os generais foram julgados por cometer crimes de guerra.
(The generals were tried for committing war crimes.)
Theft and robbery

Furto is theft without violence, assalto is robbery with threat or force, and roubo covers both, depending on context.

Dois jovens cometeram um assalto a uma farmácia.
(Two young men robbed a pharmacy.)
Ele cometeu um pequeno furto no supermercado.
(He committed a petty theft at the supermarket.)
White-collar and verbal offenses

Peculato and apropriação indébita both translate as embezzlement. Plágio means plagiarism, and difamação and calúnia mean defamation. These words usually appear without an article: cometer peculato, cometer plágio.

O diretor foi preso por cometer peculato.
(The director was arrested for embezzlement.)
O aluno cometeu plágio no trabalho final.
(The student plagiarized in his final paper.)
Moral wrongs

Pecado means sin and traição means betrayal. They also take cometer.

Para a minha avó, faltar à missa era cometer um pecado.
(For my grandmother, skipping Mass was committing a sin.)
Ela sentiu que o amigo tinha cometido uma traição.
(She felt her friend had committed a betrayal.)

Other classic partners you will meet are infração, adultério and suicídio.

Watch out

The typical mistake is fazer um erro. Say cometer um erro instead. In everyday speech, Portuguese speakers often avoid the noun altogether. They use the verb errar (to get something wrong) or enganar-se (to be mistaken). In Brazil the pronoun usually goes first: me enganei.

Enganei-me no número, peço desculpa.
(I got the number wrong, sorry.)

Cometer is the safe, neutral choice, but it is not the only verb possible with every crime. You will also hear fazer um assalto or praticar um crime, especially in legal texts. With violação, remember that it also means an ordinary violation, as in cometer uma violação das regras (to break the rules).

Summary

Whenever you mean doing something wrong, whether it is a slip, a sin or a crime, reach for cometer: cometer um erro, cometer um crime, cometer um pecado. Never translate make a mistake as fazer um erro. If you want something shorter, use errar or enganar-se.