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portuguese pronouciation

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)