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
Precedente comes before and may guide later cases. Procedente has grounds or comes from somewhere.
A reliable test is to identify the job of the word before translating from English.
What each word does
precedente
precedent or preceding
Use precedente for an earlier case, act, or fact that guides later decisions, or something that comes before.
procedente
well-founded or originating from
Use procedente for a claim supported by grounds, or a person or thing coming from a stated place.
How to choose
- precedente: Choose precedente if the sentence points to an earlier case, act, or fact that guides later decisions, or something that comes before.
- procedente: Choose procedente if the sentence points to a claim supported by grounds, or a person or thing coming from a stated place.
Examples
A decisão criou um precedente importante.
The decision created an important precedent.
O tribunal considerou a reclamação procedente.
The court found the complaint well-founded.
Common trap
In judgments, pedido procedente means the claim succeeds. A precedente is the earlier authority that may support it.
Practice it in context
Pick one sentence from your real life and write it twice: once with precedente, then once with procedente. 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.