Pronunciation Rules & Accents
Pronunciation Rules & Accents 🇵🇹
Vowels
Portuguese vowels can be open or closed, which changes meaning. Compare avó (grandmother, open 'o') and avô (grandfather, closed 'o').
| Vowel | Open Sound | Closed Sound |
|---|---|---|
| a | pá (like 'a' in father) | para (softer, relaxed) |
| e | pé (like 'e' in bed) | você (like 'ay' in say) |
| o | avó (like 'o' in dog) | avô (like 'o' in go) |
Nasal Vowels
A defining feature of Portuguese: vowels followed by ~, m, or n at the end of a syllable become nasal (pronounced partly through the nose).
- ã – mãe (mother), pão (bread)
- õ – corações (hearts), lições (lessons)
- ãe / ão – mãe, irmão (brother)
- em / en / im / in / om / on / um / un at end of a syllable – bem (well), sim (yes), bom (good)
Word Stress
Every Portuguese word has one stressed syllable. Written accents mark exceptions to the default rules:
| Type | Stress Falls On | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Oxítona | Last syllable | café, jardim |
| Paroxítona (most common) | Second-to-last syllable | casa, livro |
| Proparoxítona (always accented) | Third-to-last syllable | médico, lâmpada |
Tip: If a word looks like it breaks the normal stress pattern, it will carry a written accent — use that accent as your pronunciation guide.