Portuguese Pronunciation
vowels:
a, á, à, â - "a" as in father - ex: ar (air), lá (there)
ã – similar to "ung" in hung, sung- ex: irmã (sister)
e - can sound like "e" in they or "e" in bed - ex: ver (to see), vela (candle)
-e - in the end of the word "e" sounds like "i" as in "me" - ex: fome (hunger)
é - as in let - ex: idéia (idea)
ê - like e in they - ex: cadê (where is ?)
i - like ea in mean - ex: vida (life)
o- like "o" in low or "o" in rock - ex: coisa (thing), loja (store, shop)
-o - in the end of the word souds like "oo" in foot - ex: livro (book)
ó - like "o" in rock - ex: óleo (oil)
ô - like "o" in low - ex: capô (hood)
u - like "u" in rule - ex: luva (glove)
"u" is not pronounced in gue, gui, que, qui who are pronounced like ge, gi, ke, ki,
but u is pronounced like english w in qua, gua, güe who sound like kwa,gwa,gwe
ex: guerra (war), guia (guide), que (what), aqui (here), quarto (room), guarda (guard), agüentar (to stand,to resist) .
ãe- this sound begins with "ã" and ends with a short "ing" - ex: mãe (mother)
ai- like in "I","my" - ex.: pai (father)
ao, au, al - like "ou" in "shout" and "ow" in "how" - ex: ao (to the), mal (bad), mau(bad)
ão- this sound begins with "ã" and ends with a short "u" -ex: mão (hand)
ei - like "ey" in they - rei (king)
eu- "e" followed by "u" -ex.: eu (I), meu (my)
oi - o + i - ex.: boi (cattle,ox)
ou - like ow in low ex.: ou (or)
õe- approximately “o” followed by ing - ex: aviões (airplanes)
Consonants:
b,d,f,k,l,m,n,p,v,w,y are pronounced as in english
k,w,y are only used for foreign words
c- before a,o,u is pronounced like k in keep -ex: casa (house,home)
c- before e, i is pronounced like s in see - ex: você (you)
ç - like s in see -ex.: raça (race)
ch- like "sh" in ship - ex: chave (key)
di- like j in judge followed by i - ex: difícil (difficult)
-de - at the end of the word sounds like “di” (as above)- ex.: cidade (city)
g- before a,o,u like g in get -ex: gato (cat), gota (drop), agulha (needle)
g- before "e" or "i" like s in measure or like French j -ex: gente (person,people), girar (to turn).
h- it´s not pronounced in portuguese - ex.: hora (hour)
j- like s in measure or j in French - ex.: jardim (garden)
l- after a vowel sounds like w as in why,what- mal (bad), falso (false)
lh- like "ll" in million
-em,-am,-im,-om,-um - at the end of a syllable these letters are nazalized and pronounced something like eng ,ão, ing , ong, ung- ex.: em(in), cantam (they sing), mim (me), comprar (to buy), um (one).
-an,-en,-in,-on,-un- at the end of a syllable and followed by a consonant these letters are nazalized and sonud like ang,eng,ing,ong,ung -ex.: cantar (to sing), tentar (to try), pintar (to paint), contar (to count), nunca (never).
nh- like "ni" in "onion" - ex: tamanho (size)
qu - before e, i or o sounds like k in kick- ex: queijo (cheese), quilo (kilogram)
qu - before a sounds like qu in quick- ex: quarto (room), quatro (four)
qü - like qu in quick - cinqüenta (fifty-50)
r- at the begin of the word and after n sounds similar to h in house - ex.: rato (rat), honra (honour).
r- at the middle or end of the word sounds like Italian r - ar (air), mar (sea), morar (to live,to habitate,to dwell), caro (expensive)
rr- similar to h in house - carro (car)
s- like s in sea - ex.: sentir (to feel)
s- between two vowels it sounds like z in zero- ex.: casa (house)
ss- always like s as in sea- ex.: passar (to pass)
t- like t in tea -ex.: tentar (to try), atrair (to attract)
ti- sounds like "chi" in "chill"- ex: time (team,squad), atirar (to shoot)
te- at the end of the word sounds like "chi" in chill- ex.: quente (hot)
x- can sound like sh as in ship, ks or s - ex.: xingar (x=sh) (to curse,to swear), fixo (x=ks) (fixed,firm), auxiliar (x=s) (to help,to assist).
ex - before a vowel sounds like e + z in zero - ex: exame (examination,exam)
-xce, -xci - in that case x is not pronounced - ex: exceto (xce=ce) (except)
z - sounds like z in zero - ex: zero (zero)
z- at the end of the word sounds like s - ex.: luz (light)
For learning
Portuguese | Category
Uncategorized | Level
Unspecified |
Second language
English | Created
Aug 01, 2008 04:19 | Views
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