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Introduction
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 |
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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.).
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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.
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2. Pronunciation
Guide
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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.
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| 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 |
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Remark: The
letter x has several different pronunciations.
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MP3 audio files
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3. Regional
Pronunciations
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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.
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Tip: Be aware that
there is this difference. Learn to distinguish between them and choose one of
the easiest for you.
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| LETTERS |
PORTUGUESE |
ENGLISH |
| R |
carta |
letter |
| S |
inglês |
English |
| X |
sexta-feira |
Friday |
| Z |
feliz |
happy |
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4.
Accents used in Portuguese
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| 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). |
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5.
Similarities between Portuguese
and English
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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.
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| 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 |
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6. More examples of similar
words
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|
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 |
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