BRAZILIAN PORTUGUESE

PRONUNCIATION



Vowels and Diphthongs

a, á. à

ã, â

e

é

ê

i

o

ó

[a]

[ã]

[e,ε, i, j]

[ε]

[e]

[i, j, jj]

[o, כ, u, w]

[כ]

ô

õ

u

ãe

ai

ãi

ao, au

ão

[o]

[õ]

[u,w]

[ãj]

[aj]

[ãj]

[aw]

[ãw]

ei

éi

eu

éu

oa

oi

ói

ou

[ej/e]

[εj]

[ew]

[εw]

[owa]

[oj]

[כj]

[o,ow]

õe

ui

-am

-em

-en(s)

-ém

-éns

-êm

[õj]

[uj/ũj]

[ãw]

[ẽj]

[ẽj(s)]

[ẽj]

[ẽjs]

[ẽj]

-im

-ins

-om

-on(s)

-um

-uns

 

 

[ĩj]

[ĩjs]

[õw]

[õw(s)]

[ũw]

[ũws]

 

 


Consonants

b

c

ç

ch

d

f

g

[b]

[k, s]

[s]

[∫]

[d, consonants dz]

[f]

[g, consonants]

gü

h

j

k

l

lh

m

[gw]

ø

[consonants]

[k]

[l, w]

[λ]

[m]

n

nh

p

qu

qü

r, rr

s

[n]

[jj, ŋ]

[p]

[k, kw]

[kw]

[r, rr]

[s, z, ∫, consonants]

ss

t

v

w

x

y

z

[s]

[t, t∫]

[v]

[v, w]

[∫, s, z, ks]

[j,i]

[z,s, ∫, consonants]


 • e = [ e ] when unstressed and non-final, [ e ] or [ e ] when stressed, [ i ] when final

 • o = [ o ] when unstressed and non-final, [ c ] or [ o ] when stressed, [ u ] when final

 • c = [ s ] before i or e, [ k ] elsewhere

 • d = [ dz ] before i or a final unstressed e, [ d ] elsewhere

 • g = [ z ] before i or e, [ g ] elsewhere

 • gu = [ g ] before i or e, [ gw ] elsewhere

 • m is nasalized when at the end of a syllable and preceded by a vowel.

 • n is nasalized when at the end of a syllable, preceded by a vowel and followed by a consonant.

 • l = [ w ] after vowels, [ l ] elsewhere

 • qu = [ k ] before I or e, [ kw ] before a, o or u

 • r = [ r ] after consonants (except n) and before a vowel or at the end of a word if the next word begins with a vowel, [ x ] elsewhere. When at the end of a word and followed by a word beginning with a vowel = [ r ], otherwise = [ x ]. In São Paulo, r sometimes = [ r ].

 • s = [ s ] at the beginning of words, [ z ] between vowels. In Rio de Janeiro, s = [ z ] before d, g, l, m, n, r and v, [ ] before c, f, p, qu and t.

 • t = [ ] before i or a final unstressed e, [ t ] elsewhere

 • x = [ ]  at the beginning of a word and before a consonant (except c), pronounced [ s ] before ce or ci, ex + vowel = [ z ], elsewhere x = [ ], [ ks ] or [ s ].

 • z = [ ] at the ends of words and [ z ] elsewhere