Turn this distinction into automatic recall
Falando teaches Brazilian Portuguese through grammar, vocabulary, audio, examples, and spaced review, so confusing pairs stop feeling like guesses.
Quick answer
Evitar changes your path away from a problem. Impedir blocks the event or action itself.
A reliable test is to identify the job of the word before translating from English.
What each word does
evitar
to avoid
Use evitar for staying away from a risk, action, person, or unwanted result.
impedir
to prevent or stop
Use impedir for making it impossible or blocking someone or something from acting.
How to choose
- evitar: Choose evitar if the sentence points to staying away from a risk, action, person, or unwanted result.
- impedir: Choose impedir if the sentence points to making it impossible or blocking someone or something from acting.
Examples
Evito dirigir à noite.
I avoid driving at night.
A chuva impediu o jogo.
The rain prevented the game.
Common trap
You can avoid something without stopping it for everyone. Impedir is stronger because the blocked result does not happen.
Practice it in context
Pick one sentence from your real life and write it twice: once with evitar, then once with impedir. If both versions feel possible, name the meaning shift.
Turn this distinction into automatic recall
Falando teaches Brazilian Portuguese through grammar, vocabulary, audio, examples, and spaced review, so confusing pairs stop feeling like guesses.