Quick answer
Verificar is the act of checking; constatar is the finding established by that check.
A reliable test is to identify the job of the word before translating from English.
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What each word does
constatar
to establish or find
Use constatar for reaching a factual conclusion through observation or evidence.
verificar
to check or verify
Use verificar for examining whether information, a condition, or a process is correct.
How to choose
- constatar: Choose constatar if the sentence points to reaching a factual conclusion through observation or evidence.
- verificar: Choose verificar if the sentence points to examining whether information, a condition, or a process is correct.
Examples
A perícia constatou o vazamento.
The inspection established that there was a leak.
Vou verificar os dados antes de publicar.
I will check the data before publishing.
Common trap
Do not announce that you constatou something before the evidence supports the conclusion. First verify, then possibly constatar.
Practice it in context
Pick one sentence from your real life and write it twice: once with constatar, then once with verificar. If both versions feel possible, name the meaning shift.
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