Tips for Brazilian and European Portuguese Learners [with examples and audio]
Olá! Ready to improve your Portuguese and chat confidently with native speakers, whether you're in Brazil, Portugal or anywhere else? Let’s make it easy!
Pronunciation is key to great communication, but it can be tricky. Don't worry, I’ve got some helpful tips to guide you!
Try first to understand the basics
Before you get into any conversation in Portuguese, it’s key to understand the basic sounds. In Portuguese, accents and graphic signs guide pronunciation and stress placement in words. The main accents are:
Acento Agudo (´), which opens and lengthens the vowel sound (e.g., café);
Acento Circunflexo (^), which makes the vowel sound more closed and shortened (e.g., você);
Til (~), which gives vowels a nasal sound (e.g., não);
Cedilha (ç), which makes the "c" sound like an "s" (e.g., maçã).
Why do we use these accents and signs?
To show the correct pronunciation: They tell you whether to pronounce a vowel as open or closed, or to give it a nasal sound.
To indicate stress: They show which syllable to emphasize in the word, making pronunciation clearer.
To differentiate words: Some words look the same but have different meanings depending on the accent. For example, pôr (to put) vs. por (for).
Nasal sounds and the tilde above vowels:
You probably have heard already some sounds in Portuguese that are very nasal, that type of sound is usually represented by the tilde, which is this graphic sign (~) over the vowels "a" and "o." The tilde is called til in Portuguese.
How it works:
ã – Nasalized a, as in "pão" (bread), which sounds somewhat like "pa-own" in English but with the nose engaged.
õ – Nasalized o, as in "opiniões" (opinions), which sounds like "o·pee·NYAWNS" in English, but again with a nasal tone.
Examples - read and then listen:
- Mãe (mother)
- Não (no)
- Então (then)
- Situações (situations)
- Reuniões (meetings)
Nasal sounds without a graphic sign:
In Portuguese, nasal vowels usually happen when a vowel is followed by the letters "m" or "n" such as in "bem" (well), which sounds like "behng" (with a nasalized "e" sound, somewhat like "bang" but softer), or "sim" (yes), which sounds like "seen" in English (but with the "n" pronounced through the nose instead of fully articulated).
Examples - read and then listen:
- Campo (field)
- Sempre (always)
- Cinto (belt)
- Bom (good)
- Atum (Tuna)
In Portuguese, nasalization also occurs with the "nh" sound, which is similar to the "ny" sound in English, like in "canyon." The "nh" softens the consonant and nasalizes the preceding vowel. For example, in "vinho" (wine) and "sonho" (dream), the "i" and "o" are nasalized, meaning that air flows through the nose when pronouncing the vowels.
Examples - read and after listen:
- Aranha (spider)
- Desenho (drawing)
- Sardinha (sardines)
- Conhecimento (knowledge)
- Unha (nail)
This accent (´)
The accent (´) in Portuguese is called an "acento agudo" (acute accent) and it makes the vowel sound sharper and stronger. It also tells you where to put the emphasis in the word.
Examples - read then listen:
á: sounds like "a" in "father" (e.g., "rápido" – fast)
é: sounds like "e" in "bed" (e.g., "café" – coffee)
í: sounds like "ee" in "see" (e.g., "saída" – exit)
ó: sounds like "o" in "for" (e.g., "avó" – grandmother)
ú: sounds like "oo" in "food" (e.g., "saúde" – heath)
It shows you both how to pronounce the vowel and where to put the stress in the word.
This accent (^)
The accents â, ê, ô in Portuguese are called "acento circunflexo" (circumflex accent). They make the vowel sound closed or shorter compared to their regular counterparts.
Examples - read and listen:
â: sounds like "uh" in "cup" (e.g., "orgânico" – organic)
ê: sounds like "e" in "hey" but shorter and closed (e.g., "você" – you)
ô: sounds like "o" in "cold" but shorter and closed (e.g., "avô" – grandfather)
TIP -> The accents and graphic signs also help you to know where the stress falls in a word, like in "você", "café" e "perdão"
Listen to Portuguese
The vowel sounds are often considered the building blocks of any language. Portuguese has a rich variety of vowel sounds, ranging from open to closed, nasalized to oral. To work on these sounds effectively, consider, for a start, concentrating on just listening attentively without repeating or comparing to your language. Just pay attention to the sounds of each word.
If this is something you find hard to do or are unsure of how to select materials, you may consider asking help from a Portuguese native speaker, (a patient one! :D), listening to some music or watching some videos concentrating on the listening even if you don't understand the meanings yet.
If you would like to work on your pronunciation in Portuguese in a more focused way, put your name on our waiting list for our pronunciation workshops which we run on a seasonal basis - I would be interested.
The consonants in Portuguese
Some of the consonants can make or break your pronunciation. From the throaty 'R' sound to the soft 'LH' blend, the nasal 'NH' and the sound of 'Ç'. Portuguese consonants can offer some challenges for learners. To learn these sounds, practice speaking aloud regularly and pay attention to the shape of your mouth and tongue. Again, it's very good to concentrate on listening and focusing for a certain time on each sound and then practicing their pronunciation. Here are some examples:
Words with 'RR'
In Portuguese, the "rr" sound is pronounced like a strong "h" sound, similar to the "h" in "house" or sometimes like the "r" in "rat," but softer depending on the region.
Here’s how the words with "rr" sound compared to English - read and listen:
Carro (car): sounds like "CAH-ho" (with a strong "h" sound)
Terra (earth): sounds like "TEH-hah" (again, a strong "h")
Sorriso (smile): sounds like "so-HEE-zoo" (the "r" is like an English "h")
Errado (wrong): sounds like "eh-HAH-doo" (with the "h" sound for the double "r")
Words with 'LH'
In Portuguese, the "lh" sound is similar to the English "y" in "yes" or the "lli" sound in "million." It's a soft and smooth sound, blending the "l" and "y" together.
Here’s how the words with "lh" sound compared to English - read and listen:
Trabalho (work): sounds like "tra-BA-lyoo" (the "lh" is like "ly")
Mulher (woman): sounds like "moo-LYEH" (soft "lyeh" sound)
Filho (son): sounds like "FEE-lyoo" (with "lyoo" at the end)
Olho (eye): sounds like "AW-lyoo" (again, "lyoo" at the end)
The "lh" gives these words a gentle, flowing sound, a bit like saying "li" but smoother.
Words with 'Ç'
In Portuguese, the letter "ç" is called "c cedilha" and it makes a soft "s" sound, like the "s" in "sun." It is used before the vowels "a," "o," and "u" to give them that softer sound.
Here are some examples and how they sound compared to English - read and listen:
Coração (heart): sounds like "ko-rah-SAOWN" (the "ç" gives the "s" sound)
Maçã (apple): sounds like "mah-SAH" (the "ç" is like the "s" in "sun")
Aço (steel): sounds like "AH-sow" (the "ç" is like the "s" in "so")
Açúcar (sugar): sounds like "ah-SOO-kar" (the "ç" is pronounced as "s")
In each case, the "ç" is pronounced as a soft "s", making the words flow smoothly.
If you're typing in Portuguese and are wondering how to add these accents to your keyboard, read this blog post.
Brazilian Portuguese and European Portuguese accents
Accents can vary a lot, even within the same country. In the case of Brazil and Portugal the sound differences are even more distinctive. Familiarize yourself with these accents by listening to native speakers and mimicking their intonation patterns.
Watch some examples of Brazilian and European Portuguese accents, from two of our teachers, here:
Parts of the face - Brazilian Portuguese:
Parts of the face - European Portuguese:
Aural comprehension exercises
A fun way to improve your Portuguese pronunciation is through aural exercises like:
Listening to Brazilian or Portuguese music. Check out these blog posts: Brazilian songs | Portuguese songs
Watching films and TV shows. See our post with the best Portuguese Series
Tuning into podcasts. Check out our recommended Brazilian Podcasts
Immerse yourself and train your ear naturally!
Go further
As you progress in your Portuguese listening skills, pay attention to the finer details of pronunciation. Practice saying words that are very different in your own language and others, which differ by only one sound. Additionally, seek feedback from native speakers or language tutors to refine your pronunciation further.
If you're ready to take your Portuguese pronunciation to the next level, we invite you to check out our channels, where you'll find plenty of free videos to help you sharpen your listening and pronunciation skills.
Our YouTube channel - click to follow us.
Our TikTok - click.
Our Instagram - click.
Our Facebook - click.
And if you're looking to speak Portuguese more confidently, consider enrolling in one of our online courses to help you master the language.
If you prefer to follow a program of studies, you may benefit by taking part in online Portuguese classes that offer interactive sessions with native speakers for an active learning experience. See here some course options to learn Brazilian Portuguese or European Portuguese.