Quick answer
Inofensivo means harmless. Inocuo can mean harmless or ineffective.
A reliable test is to identify the job of the word before translating from English.
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What each word does
inocuo
innocuous or ineffective
Use inocuo for causing no harm, or having no effect.
inofensivo
harmless
Use inofensivo for not causing harm, danger, or offense.
How to choose
- inocuo: Choose inocuo if the sentence points to causing no harm, or having no effect.
- inofensivo: Choose inofensivo if the sentence points to not causing harm, danger, or offense.
Examples
A medida foi inocua.
The measure was ineffective.
O comentario foi inofensivo.
The comment was harmless.
Common trap
When the point is lack of effect, inocuo is better than inofensivo.
Practice it in context
Pick one sentence from your real life and write it twice: once with inocuo, then once with inofensivo. If both versions feel possible, name the meaning shift.
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