How to correct spelling errors in a massive and automatic way

In this article I will teach you how to correct several Portuguese errors at once directly in the database of your WordPress site or another CMS. All of this automatically and massively without the need to edit page by page, article by article.

Portuguese is not one of my strengths, because I left high school and didn't go to college. In my early years on the website I wrote several articles, many containing extreme Portuguese errors. Only over the years have I been able to identify these common errors, but many articles continue to have such errors.

Imagine how boring it must be to go manually article by article looking for small accent or word errors? Fortunately there is a way to correct all errors at once within your WordPress or accessing your website's database.

To make such changes en masse we use the famous tool present in several text editors called search and replace which literally means to seek and replace.

Cautions when editing the database massively

We will teach you how to correct several Portuguese spelling errors in this article in an easy and less laborious way, but it is worth remembering that there are dangers in directly replacing words in the database.

You may accidentally add an accent to a hyperlink, but it cannot contain an accent. If the CMS does not have an automatic correction, it can break the link to your article. The same goes for image names and links present within articles.

That's why we always encourage you to use a program that detects offline links and 404 errors to prevent some pages on your site from dying. I remember that even today the editing of some articles is buggy because of some lines of code from the gutenberg that were not deleted the day I tried to remove the manual summaries of my articles.

In this article we encourage the use of regular expressions like (.*?) and *\?, be careful not to substitute words without intention. You can end up spoiling some articles in a few clicks. For this reason, if you use WordPress, we recommend using plugins to edit the database instead of doing it manually, so you can see what will change before replacing.

Correcting several Portuguese errors directly by WordPress

When searching the plugins directory for search and replace you find several plugins that search the database directly and replace specific words. After trying some plugins I ended up liking the Search Regex.

Unlike other plugins that edit the database, you can edit only the articles, see before editing anything, manually edit each article without opening its edit page, check beforehand if the changes will not affect any link or agreement orthographic.

With an open program I put the word I want to replace, like Brazil written in letters tiny (disable the ignore case). I usually add a space between words to avoid editing a link that usually has no capital letters or accents.

After having found several brazils written in small letters, I put again the spaces I added and the correct word Brazil in the field Replace. After making sure everything is correct, I simply click on replace all and I replace all Brazil in lower case with Brazil with upper case.

If I search for rare misspellings, I can edit manually so as not to damage other articles that use that word correctly. To do this, just click on the three dots of the article listed in the search replace and then click on inline editor.

You can use both tools with several popular Portuguese errors. At the end of this article I will list the common mistakes that I make and in which I used the search regex.

Correcting various errors directly in the database

I won't go into too much detail in this mode, but it consists of opening your database in some text editor or directly in a database program like phpadmin or navicat and massively replace some words in the mode search and replace.

It's up to you to find a way to use the replacement tool search and replace which can usually be found with the CTRL + F keys. You can also use standard text editors like bbedit to directly edit the SQL files and then import them back to the site.

Remember to check the substitutions carefully to avoid bugging your database. If you have no experience in handling databases or tools like search replace, nothing that a good keyboard at Google will help you with.

The important thing is not to spend time editing article by article. If you don't want to risk it, just search for errors with the finder or search in order to manually edit the database without the need to edit page by page.

Correcting the Whys and more in a practical way

One of the main mistakes he made in the past was the exchange of but for more and also the wrong use of whys. There are thousands of questions on my website that use because together rather than separately, in order to correct this correctly, most of the time I need to edit one by one instead of applying the replace all (replace all).

That's because I can end up replacing one because that is correct by a wrong. Especially in expressions like more and but, backslashes and other errors where both words exist but are used in different situations. In this case, mass replacement is not only useful and dangerous, but fortunately it can save time.

Using the Search Regex plugin or some other editor with search and replace tool and preferably accepting regular expressions, you can directly edit multiple articles without having to enter page by page, even if manually.

You can also use some regular expressions to find because in questions in order to correct for because. Or you can vary between upper and lower case to find such expressions at the beginning of the sentence.

Another thing I do is to use possible words before or after the wrong word, in order to find ways to correct without affecting the versions that are correct in a given sentence. For example, I look for some years ago in order to remove the word behind that is incorrect in that sentence.

Test always possible key words in order to find ways to use the replace all (replace all) without affecting the phrases that are correct. Just use your head a little!

Main Portuguese errors corrected by replace

I will add several word instructions that you can correct below. I will leave any text to be searched within square brackets [] including spaces and HTML codes common in text formatting.

You can correct case errors (upper and lower case) disabling the ignore case and writing the word you want to replace. Remembering that capitalized words usually start in sentences, sometimes before a period with a space [. ] or a paragraph HTML code with space [<p> ];

Simple mistakes to be corrected en masse

• wrong = correct
• doubts = doubts
• where = where
• factories = factories
• rest = rest
• self-esteem = self-esteem
• therefore = why
• again = again
• Monday = Monday
• depart = from
• self-esteem = self-esteem
• eyebrow = eyebrow
• help you = help you
• politics = politics
• comedy = comedy

Words that need to be replaced carefully

• analyze / analysis
• because why
• but more
• influence / influence
• agent / us
• Down / down

In time I will update this list with other common mistakes that I remember. If you can comment on other mistakes, it will help readers a lot. We recommend errors that do not have correct equivalents in the Portuguese language. This way it does not affect any correct phrase on the site.

Recently using a tool I discovered some errors on the site and I will list them below:

• accessory = & gt; accessory;
• advisable = & gt; advisable;
• adolescence = & gt; adolescence;
• aerea = & gt; aerial;
• agency = & gt; agency;
• nice = & gt; pleasant;
• nice = & gt; nice;
• help you = & gt; help you out;
• album = & gt; album;
• alcohol = & gt; alcohol;
• alem = & gt; beyond;
• someone = & gt; someone;
• analyze = & gt; analyze;
• here = & gt; on here;
• rainbow = & gt; Rainbow;
• asim = & gt; like this;
• murder = & gt; murder;
• assistance = & gt; assistance;
• behind = & gt; behind;
• through = & gt; through;
• authentic = & gt; authentic;
• autonomo = & gt; autonomous, autonomous;
• benefits = & gt; benefits;
• blessing = & gt; blessing;
• blessings = & gt; blessings;
• hairdresser = & gt; hair stylist;
• camara = & gt; chamber;
• cambio = & gt; exchange;
• camera = & gt; camera;
• chapter = & gt; chapter;
• characteristic = & gt; feature;
• characteristics = & gt; features;
• cassar = & gt; hunt, marry, cassar;
• catalog = & gt; catalog;
• scenarios = & gt; scenarios;
• citizens = & gt; citizens;
• cientifica = & gt; scientific;
• scientific = & gt; scientific;
• circle = & gt; circle;
• classica = & gt; classical;
• classic = & gt; classic;
• classics = & gt; classics;
• start = & gt; begin;
• comedy = & gt; comedy;
• trade = & gt; trade;
• construction = & gt; construction;
• constructed = & gt; built;
• continued = & gt; continued;
• contributed = & gt; contributed;
• child = & gt; kid;
• children = & gt; kids;
• criticism = & gt; criticisms;
• critics = & gt; critics;
• culinary = & gt; cooking;
• custume = & gt; custom;
• decades = & gt; decades;
• demon = & gt; demon, demon;
• deposit = & gt; deposit;
• destroy = & gt; destroys;
• destroyed = & gt; destroyed;
• daily = & gt; diary;
• differences = & gt; differences;
• available = & gt; available;
• distributed = & gt; distributed;
• disturbances = & gt; disorders;
• doubts = & gt; doubts;
• economica = & gt; economic, economic;
• then = & gt; So;
• episode = & gt; episode;
• species = & gt; species;
• hope = & gt; hope;
• spirit = & gt; spirit;
• spirits = & gt; spirits;
• station = & gt; They are;
• debuted = & gt; debuted;
• studio = & gt; studio;
• excellent = & gt; great;
• exite = & gt; exist;
• exitem = & gt; exist;
• spectator = & gt; viewer;
• extende = & gt; extends;
• extended = & gt; extended;
• easy = & gt; easy;
• family = & gt; family;
• families = & gt; families;
• fan = & gt; fan;
• physics = & gt; physics;
• fluid = & gt; fluid;
• fragile = & gt; fragile;
• galaxy = & gt; galaxy;
• geito = & gt; way;
• gender = & gt; genre;
• generos = & gt; genders;
• giria = & gt; slang;
• girias = & gt; Slang;
• graphics = & gt; graphics;
• heroic = & gt; heroic;
• historica = & gt; historical;
• homosexual = & gt; homosexual;
• schedule = & gt; schedule;
• there were = & gt; there was;
• idea = & gt; idea;
• ideas = & gt; ideas;
• immobile = & gt; immobile;
• importance = & gt; importance;
• impossible = & gt; impossible;
• incredible = & gt; incredible;
• index = & gt; index;
• indices = & gt; indexes;
• individual = & gt; individual;
• industria = & gt; industry;
• industries = & gt; industries;
• childhood = & gt; childhood;
• unfortunately = & gt; unfortunately;
• infra-red = & gt; infra-red;
• english = & gt; English;
• start = & gt; start;
• intelligence = & gt; intelligence;
• innumerable = & gt; countless;
• inves = & gt; instead;
• invez = & gt; instead;
• brother = & gt; brother;
• junior = & gt; junior;
• juz = & gt; justice;
• legendary = & gt; legendary;
• takes it = & gt; take you;
• license = & gt; license;
• lider = & gt; leader;
• leaders = & gt; leaders;
• lingua = & gt; language;
• tongues = & gt; languages;
• logic = & gt; logic;
• lights = & gt; luces;
• magic = & gt; magic;
• environment = & gt; environment;
• memory = & gt; memory;
• menas = & gt; any less;
• method = & gt; method;
• minimum = & gt; Minimum;
• muinto = & gt; very;
• munto = & gt; very;
• musicas = & gt; songs;
• months = & gt; months;
• no = & gt; not;
• business = & gt; Business;
• nobody = & gt; no one;
• level = & gt; level;
• numbers = & gt; numbers;
• odio = & gt; hate;
• great = & gt; great, great;
• great = & gt; great, great;
• page = & gt; page;
• countries = & gt; countries;
• period = & gt; period;
• personagen = & gt; character;
• plastica = & gt; plastic;
• plastic = & gt; plastic;
• problem = & gt; problem;
• politics = & gt; policies;
• politician = & gt; political;
• possible = & gt; possible;
• possible = & gt; possible;
• own = & gt; It has;
• pq = & gt; why, why, why, why;
• damage = & gt; loss;
• prevent = & gt; to prevent;
• primary = & gt; primary;
• principle = & gt; principle;
• privilege = & gt; privilege;
• forbid = & gt; prohibits;
• forbid = & gt; forbid;
• propio = & gt; own;
• purpose = & gt; purpose;
• province = & gt; province;
• next = & gt; next;
• next = & gt; next;
• next = & gt; next;
• public = & gt; public;
• publicos & gt; public;
• when = & gt; When;
• question = & gt; question;
• chemistry = & gt; chemistry;
• quizer = & gt; want to;
• radio = & gt; radio;
• reference = & gt; reference;
• references = & gt; references;
• gather = & gt; get together;
• romantic = & gt; romantic;
• exit = & gt; output;
• saira = & gt; left, will leave;
• sao = & gt; are;
• healthy = & gt; healthy;
• health = & gt; Cheers;
• centuries = & gt; centuries;
• sensitive = & gt; sensitive;
• serie = & gt; series;
• seriously = & gt; seriously, series, serial;
• symbol = & gt; symbol;
• simply = & gt; simply;
• also = & gt; too;
• tao = & gt; So;
• tb = & gt; too;
• tbm = & gt; too;
• have it = & gt; have it;
• tecnica = & gt; technical;
• trends = & gt; Tendencies;
• tijela = & gt; bowl;
• title = & gt; title;
• tres = & gt; three;
• tourist = & gt; touristic;
• turisticos = & gt; Touristic;
• ultima = & gt; last;
• unica = & gt; only;
• unique = & gt; single;
• user = & gt; user, user;
• util = & gt; useful;
• several = & gt; several;
• vehicle = & gt; vehicle;
• travel = & gt; travel;
• violence = & gt; violence;
• virus = & gt; virus;
• victory = & gt; victory;
• you = & gt; you;
• flight = & gt; flight;
• yoga = & gt; yoga;
• accessories = & gt; accessories;
• aerosol = & gt; aerosol;
• agricola = & gt; agricultural;
• agricolas = & gt; agricultural;
• aircrafts = & gt; aircraft;
• aki = & gt; on here;
• alcoholic = & gt; alcoholic;
• algus = & gt; some;
• there = & gt; there;
• ad = & gt; advertisement;
• area = & gt; area;
• murdered = & gt; murdered;
• assasinated = & gt; assassinated;
• killer = & gt; killer;
• assigned = & gt; assigned;
• plane = & gt; airplane;
• beije = & gt; beige;
• baldness = & gt; baldness;
• champions = & gt; champions;
• chapters = & gt; chapters;
• category = & gt; category;
• cyclane = & gt; sicran;
• citizens = & gt; citizens;
• scientific = & gt; scientific;
• cms = & gt; cm;
• coconut = & gt; coconuts;
• demons = & gt; demons, demons;
• destroyed = & gt; destroyed;
• destroyed = & gt; destroyed;
• day = & gt; day;
• days = & gt; days;
• available = & gt; available;
• dragon = & gt; Dragon;
• ect = & gt; etc;
• emphasis = & gt; emphasis;
• titled = & gt; entitled;
• episodes = & gt; episodes;
• times = & gt; times;
• equilibrium = & gt; balance;
• exitar = & gt; to hesitate;
• extender = & gt; extend;
• thanks = & gt; thanks;
• guión = & gt; guion;
• empire = & gt; empire;
• intent = & gt; intention;
• invasion = & gt; invasion;
• judges = & gt; judges;
• kilo = & gt; kilogram;
• kilometers = & gt; kilometers, kilometers;
• logista = & gt; shopkeeper;
• magician = & gt; Magic;
• mecher = & gt; stir;
• multimedia = & gt; multimedia, multimedia;
• multipurpose = & gt; multipurpose;
• pra = & gt; for;
• primary = & gt; primary;
• production = & gt; production;
• kilometer = & gt; kilometer;
• reset = & gt; reestablished;
• reestablishment = & gt; restoration;
• clock = & gt; watch;
• rhythm = & gt; rhythm;
• century = & gt; century;
• secondary = & gt; secondary;
• secondary = & gt; secondary;
• symbols = & gt; symbols;
• synonyms = & gt; synonyms;
• socio-cultural = & gt; socio-cultural;
• maybe = & gt; perhaps;
• thru = & gt; through;
• tipica = & gt; typical;
• unicas = & gt; unique;
• several = & gt; various;
• video = & gt; video;
• wanna = & gt; want to;