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Introduction
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1. |
The Portuguese Alphabet |
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2. |
Pronunciation Guide |
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3. |
Regional Pronunciations |
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4. |
Accents used in Portuguese |
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5. |
Similarities between Portuguese and English |
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6. |
More examples of similar words |
1. The Portuguese Alphabet
| A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
H |
I |
J |
L |
M |
N |
O |
P |
Q |
R |
S |
T |
U |
V |
X |
Z |
Click↓for MP3 audio files
The Portuguese alphabet consists of 23 letters (18 consonants and 5 vowels).
The letters K, W and Y do not belong to the Portuguese alphabet, but they can be used in names (Wagner/Wilson/Yara/Amaury) or with international terms (kg/km/watt, etc.).
Remark: It is important to know how to pronounce the alphabet as sometimes you have to spell your name or ask people to spell something for you. Back to top
2. Pronunciation Guide
The comparison with English words should help you pronounce the words correctly in Portuguese. Please note that not every sound can be reproduced in written form.
| LETTER |
PORTUGUESE |
MEANING |
SOUND |
ENGLISH |
| A |
aluno |
student |
sounds like [a] |
father |
| alemã |
German |
nasal sound |
-- |
| B |
bala |
candy |
sounds like [b] |
bay |
| C |
casa |
house |
ca/co/cu sounds like [k] |
key |
| cedo |
early |
ce/ci sounds like [s] |
city |
| Ç |
moça |
young woman |
ça/ço/çu sounds like [s] |
city |
| CH |
cheque |
check |
sounds like [sh] |
she |
| D |
data |
date |
sounds like [d] |
day |
| E |
letra, você |
letter, you |
sounds like [e] |
them |
| leite |
milk |
sounds like [ee] at the end, if unstressed |
cheese |
| festa, café |
party, coffee |
sounds like [e] |
bed |
| F |
faca |
knife |
sounds like [f] |
for |
| G |
gato |
cat |
ga/go/gu sounds like [g] |
get |
| gelo |
ice |
ge/gi sounds like [g] |
beige |
| GU |
água |
water |
gua/guo sounds like [gw] |
Nicaragua |
| português |
Portuguese |
gue/gui sounds like [g] |
get |
| lingüiça |
sausage |
güe/güi sounds like [gw] |
Nicaragua |
| H |
hotel |
hotel |
h is always silent, except for borrowed words such as hall, hobby, etc. |
-- |
| I |
camisa |
shirt |
sounds like [ea] |
meat |
| J |
jornal |
newspaper |
sounds like [g] |
beige |
| L |
laranja |
orange |
la/le/li/lo/lu sounds like [l] |
like |
| Brasil |
Brazil |
al/el/il/ol/ul sounds like [w] |
few |
| LH |
trabalho |
work |
sounds like [ll] |
million |
| M |
mapa |
map |
sounds like [m] |
more |
| bom |
good |
sounds between m and n, similar to the French word bon |
-- |
| N |
nada |
nothing |
sounds like [n] |
no |
| conta |
bill |
sounds like [n] |
contract |
| NH |
amanhã |
tomorrow |
sounds like [ng], similar to the French words Avignon and champagne |
-- |
| O |
bonito, avô |
pretty, grandfather |
sounds like [o] |
know |
| livro |
book |
sounds like [w or o] at the end, if unstressed |
boo/know |
| moda, avó |
fashion, grandmother |
sounds like [aw] |
law |
| P |
pato |
duck |
sounds like [p] |
pie |
| Q |
quase |
almost |
qua/quo sounds like [kw] |
quick |
| aqui |
here |
que/qui sounds like [k] |
key |
| cinqüenta |
fifty |
qüe/qüi sounds like [kw] |
quick |
| R |
recibo |
receipt |
similar to [h] sound |
holiday |
| honra |
honor |
similar to [h] sound, if preceded by n |
holiday |
| carta |
letter |
sounds like [r], similar to the English or French r |
morning or jour |
| caro |
expensive |
similar to [r] sound |
Mary |
| RR |
carro |
car |
similar to [h] sound |
holiday |
| S |
sopa |
soup |
at the beginning sounds like [s] |
sea |
| cansado |
tired |
if preceded by l/n/r sounds like [s] |
sea |
| inglês |
English |
after vowels sounds like [s] |
must |
| casa |
house |
between vowels sounds like [z] |
zero |
| SC |
piscina |
swimming pool |
sce/sci sounds like [s] |
sea |
| SÇ |
desça |
go down |
sça/sço sounds like [s] |
sea |
| SS |
assado |
roasted |
sounds like [s] |
sea |
| T |
tomate |
tomato |
sounds like [t] |
top |
| U |
uva |
grape |
sounds like [w] |
boo |
| V |
você |
you |
sounds like [v] |
verb |
| X |
México |
Mexico |
sounds like [sh] |
she |
| caixa |
box/cashier |
after ai/ei sounds like [sh] |
she |
| táxi |
taxi |
sounds like [ks] |
taxi |
| próximo |
next |
sounds like [s] |
city |
| excelente |
excellent |
exce/exci sounds like [s] |
city |
| texto |
text |
excl/exp/ext sounds like [s] |
must |
| exame |
exam |
exa/exe/exi/exo/exu sounds like [z] |
zero |
| Z |
zero |
zero |
before a vowel sounds like [z] |
zero |
| feliz |
happy |
after a vowel sounds like [s] |
must | Remark: The letter x has several different pronunciations.
Click↓for MP3 audio files
Back to top
3. Regional Pronunciations
For the letters r/s/x/z there are two big regional differences in pronunciation between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Both pronunciations are correct.
Tip: Be aware that there is this difference. Learn to distinguish between them and choose one of the easiest for you.
| LETTERS |
PORTUGUESE |
ENGLISH |
| R |
carta |
letter |
| S |
inglês |
English |
| X |
sexta-feira |
Friday |
| Z |
feliz |
happy | Back to top
4. Accents used in Portuguese
| ACCENT |
INDICATES |
| (´) acute |
the pronunciation is open as in café (coffee), avó (grandmother). |
| (^) circumflex |
the pronunciation is closed as in você (you), avô (grandfather). |
| (`) grave |
a contraction of the preposition a and the definite article a = à (to). |
|
(~) tilde |
a nasal sound as in mão (hand). |
| (..) two dots |
the letter u is pronounced as in tranqüilo (quiet). | Back to top
5. Similarities between Portuguese and English
Even though English is not a Latin language, there are more similarities between Portuguese and English than you might imagine.
Below you will find a table with Portuguese endings and their corresponding forms in English. Pronunciation and stress can sometimes be very different from English and you may find some exceptions, but in general you should not have a problem if you are familiar with Portuguese.
You can expand your vocabulary very quickly if you know these endings.
| PORTUGUESE |
ENGLISH |
| acto/ato ecto/eto |
fato, impacto, compacto, contato, aspecto, projeto, objeto, direto |
act/ect |
fact, impact, compact, contact, aspect, project, object, direct |
|
ado/ada |
irritado/a, evaporado/a, limitado/a, sofisticado/a |
ed |
irritated, evaporated, limited, sophisticated |
|
al/o |
animal, total, capital, profissional, liberal, individual, radical, tradicional, nacional, natural, interno, político, típico |
al |
animal, total, capital, professional, liberal, individual, radical, traditional, national, natural, internal, political, typical |
|
ante/ente
ento |
assistente, imigrante, elefante, importante, permanente, acidente, detergente, freqüente, cliente, paciente, estudante, presidente, violento, talento |
ant/ent |
assistant, immigrant, elephant, important, permanent, accident, detergent, frequent, client, patient, student, president, violent, talent |
|
ão |
prisão, opinião, religião, região |
on |
prison, opinion, religion, region |
| ável/ível |
provável, inevitável, agradável, possível, responsável |
able/ible |
probable, inevitable, agreeable, possible, responsible |
|
ção |
condição, instrução, loção, negociação, reação, situação, comunicação, conversação, eleição, cooperação, solução, contradição, organização, exceção, qualificação, posição, informação, revolução, corrupção, operação, instituição, população |
tion |
condition, instruction, lotion, negotiation, reaction, situation, communication, conversation, election, cooperation, solution, contradiction, organization, exception, qualification, position, information, revolution, corruption, operation, institution, population |
|
cia/ça |
assistência, violência, preferência, evidência, independência, experiência, inteligência, província, polícia, sentença, presença, justiça |
ce |
assistance, violence, preference, evidence, independence, experience, intelligence, province, police, sentence, presence, justice |
|
cia |
democracia, burocracia |
cy |
democracy, bureaucracy |
|
dade |
curiosidade, universidade, cidade, faculdade, sociedade, prioridade, comunidade, identidade, celebridade |
ty |
curiosity, university, city, faculty, society, priority, community, identity, celebrity |
|
es |
escândalo, estável, espírito, estado, estação, esporte, especial, estória |
s |
scandal, stable, spirit, state, station, sports, special, story |
|
esso |
sucesso, processo, acesso |
ess |
success, process, access |
|
fia |
geografia, fotografia, caligrafia, filosofia |
phy |
geography, photography, calligraphy, philosophy |
|
fone |
telefone, microfone |
phone |
telephone, microphone |
|
gem |
massagem, garagem, imagem, mensagem |
age |
massage, garage, image, message |
|
gia |
tecnologia, biologia, sociologia |
gy |
technology, biology, sociology |
|
ia/io |
família, agência, emergência, indústria, companhia, secretária, adultério, adversário, necessário, aniversário, mistério, categoria, história, estória, laboratório, território |
y |
family, agency, emergency, industry, company, secretary, adultery, adversary, necessary, anniversary, mystery, category, history, story, laboratory, territory |
|
ico |
dinâmico, romântico, público |
ic |
dynamic, romantic, public |
|
isar/izar |
analisar, batizar, legalizar, organizar |
ise/ize |
analyze, baptize, legalize, organize |
|
ismo |
turismo, patriotismo, comunismo |
ism |
tourism, patriotism, communism |
|
ista |
dentista, artista, analista, jornalista, especialista, turista, economista |
ist/yst |
dentist, artist, analyst, journalist, specialist, tourist, economist |
|
ivo/iva |
explosivo, primitivo, exclusivo, criativo, positivo, negativo, alternativa |
ive |
explosive, primitive, exclusive, creative, positive, negative, alternative |
|
ma |
programa, problema, dilema, trauma, drama, sistema, cinema |
am/em ma |
program, problem, dilemma, trauma, drama, system, cinema |
|
mente |
exatamente, pessoalmente, inicialmente, recentemente |
ly |
exactly, personally, initially, recently |
|
mento |
investimento, monumento, momento, documento, instrumento, testamento |
ment |
investment, monument, moment, document, instrument, testament |
|
ogo |
diálogo, catálogo |
ogue |
dialogue, catalogue |
|
or |
vendedor, professor, diretor, sucessor, ator |
or |
vendor, professor, director, successor, actor |
|
oso/o |
famoso, curioso, generoso, nervoso, próspero, sério, tremendo |
ous |
famous, curious, generous, nervous, prosperous, serious, tremendous |
|
ro |
centro, membro, teatro, termômetro |
er |
center, member, theater, thermometer |
|
são |
conclusão, expansão, evasão, fusão, confusão, televisão, decisão |
sion |
conclusion, expansion, evasion, fusion, confusion, television, decision |
|
ssão |
permissão, missão, expressão, discussão |
ssion |
permission, mission, expression, discussion |
|
ta |
diplomata, astronauta |
at/aut |
diplomat, astronaut |
|
ura/uro |
cultura, agricultura, escultura, miniature, arquiterura, futuro |
ure |
culture agriculture, sculpture, miniature, architecture, future |
|
uto |
minuto, instituto, substituto |
ute |
minute, institute, substitute | Back to top
6. More examples of similar words
| PORTUGUESE |
ENGLISH |
| area |
area |
|
arte |
art |
|
câmera |
camera |
| causa |
cause |
| chance |
chance |
|
classe |
class |
|
concerto |
concert |
|
crime |
crime |
| fã |
fan |
|
filme |
film |
| horror |
horror |
|
hotel |
hotel |
| idéia |
idea |
| líquido |
liquid |
|
lista |
list |
| mapa |
map |
| método |
method |
| moderno |
modern |
| música |
music |
|
perfume |
perfume |
| foto |
photo |
| planeta |
planet |
| popular |
popular |
|
produto |
product |
| rádio |
radio |
| reforma |
reform |
| serviço |
service |
| vítima |
victim | Back to top |
