Family Words in Portuguese
One pair here differs by a single accent mark, and getting it wrong swaps a grandmother for a grandfather. It is flagged below.
Parents and children
-
a mãe
ah mang
-
mother
mamãe in everyday speech
-
o pai
oo py
-
father
papai in everyday speech
-
os pais
oosh pysh
-
parents
-
a filha
ah FEE-lyah
-
daughter
-
o filho
oo FEE-lyoo
-
son
-
os filhos
oosh FEE-lyoosh
-
children
Brothers, sisters and grandparents
-
a irmã
ah eer-MANG
-
sister
-
o irmão
oo eer-MOWNG
-
brother
-
os irmãos
oosh eer-MOWNGSH
-
siblings
-
a avó
ah ah-VAW
-
grandmother
Open o. This accent is the whole difference
-
o avô
oo ah-VOH
-
grandfather
Closed o, like the o in go
-
os avós
oosh ah-VAWSH
-
grandparents
The wider family
-
a tia
ah CHEE-ah
-
aunt
-
o tio
oo CHEE-oo
-
uncle
-
a prima
ah PREE-mah
-
cousin (female)
-
o primo
oo PREE-moo
-
cousin (male)
-
a esposa
ah es-POH-zah
-
wife
mulher is just as common
-
o marido
oo mah-REE-doo
-
husband
-
a família
ah fah-MEE-lyah
-
family
Avó and avô, and the masculine plural
Avó with an acute accent is the grandmother and is said with an open aw. Avô with a circumflex is the grandfather and is said with a closed oh. Nothing else separates them, and the plural os avós covers both.
A masculine plural covers a mixed group: os pais is parents, os filhos is children of either sex, os irmãos is brothers and sisters together.
The feminine plural is specific, so as irmãs can only be sisters.
The til in mãe and irmão is nasal. The sound goes through the nose and the final consonant you think you hear is not really there.
- Esta é minha irmã.This is my sister.
- Tenho dois irmãos.I have two siblings.
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