How to read the International Phoentic Alphabet (IPA) for Brazilian Portuguese
Introduction
When you look up a Portuguese word in a dictionary or language app, you often see strange symbols in brackets next to it. These symbols are part of the International Phonetic Alphabet, or IPA. IPA looks confusing at first, but it exists to solve a real problem: Portuguese spelling does not always tell you how to pronounce a word.
Consider English words like "though," "through," and "thought." Each has "ough" in the spelling, but each sounds completely different. Portuguese has similar issues. The letter r can sound like the English "h" in "hot" or like the "tt" in "butter," depending on where it appears in a word. The letter e sometimes sounds like "eh" and sometimes like "ee." Spelling alone cannot guide you.
IPA gives you a consistent way to see exactly how a word sounds. Each symbol represents one specific sound. Once you learn what each symbol means, you can pronounce any Portuguese word correctly, even if you have never heard it before.
This guide explains how to read IPA symbols for Brazilian Portuguese. You will learn what each symbol represents and how to produce each sound.
What IPA symbols represent
Before looking at specific symbols, you need to understand what IPA shows you. IPA represents sounds, not letters.
A sound is what comes out of your mouth when you speak. A letter is a written symbol. These are not the same thing. In English, the letter "c" can represent different sounds: the "k" sound in "cat" or the "s" sound in "city." The letter does not tell you which sound to use. You have to already know.
IPA removes this confusion. Each IPA symbol represents exactly one sound. When you see the symbol /k/, you always produce the same sound, regardless of how that sound is spelled in Portuguese.
When you see IPA symbols in a dictionary, they appear between slashes like this: /example/. The slashes tell you that these are sounds, not regular spelling.
How to use IPA symbols
Reading IPA is a process of converting symbols into sounds. You see a symbol, you produce the corresponding sound, then you blend all the sounds together to form a word.
For example, the Portuguese word casa (house) is written in IPA as /ˈkazɐ/. You would:
- See the symbol /k/ and produce the "k" sound
- See the symbol /a/ and produce the "ah" sound
- See the symbol /z/ and produce the "z" sound
- See the symbol /ɐ/ and produce a shortened "uh" sound
- Blend these sounds together: "KAH-zuh"
The symbol /ˈ/ before the /k/ indicates stress. It tells you to emphasize that syllable. Stress marks appear before the syllable that receives emphasis.
Vowel sounds in Brazilian Portuguese
Brazilian Portuguese has seven basic vowel sounds. Some of these sounds exist in English, while others are new.
Vowels that sound like English
/a/ sounds like the "a" in "father." You find this sound in Portuguese words like pato /ˈpatu/ (duck) and mala /ˈmalɐ/ (suitcase).
/i/ sounds like the "ee" in "feet." You find this sound in words like vida /ˈvidɐ/ (life) and aqui /aˈki/ (here).
/u/ sounds like the "oo" in "food." You find this sound in words like rua /ˈʁuɐ/ (street) and azul /aˈzuw/ (blue).
Vowels that need attention
/e/ sounds like the "ay" in "say," but without gliding into an "ee" sound at the end. English speakers tend to turn "ay" into "ay-ee." In Portuguese, you hold the "ay" sound steady. You find this sound in words like bebê /beˈbe/ (baby) and você /voˈse/ (you).
/ɛ/ sounds like the "e" in "bet." This is a more open sound than /e/. You find it in words like pé /ˈpɛ/ (foot) and café /kaˈfɛ/ (coffee).
/o/ sounds like the "o" in "go," but without gliding into an "oo" sound at the end. Keep the sound steady. You find this sound in words like avô /aˈvo/ (grandfather) and robô /ʁoˈbo/ (robot).
/ɔ/ sounds like the "aw" in "raw." This is a more open sound than /o/. You find it in words like avó /aˈvɔ/ (grandmother) and pode /ˈpɔdʒi/ (can).
The difference between /e/ and /ɛ/, and between /o/ and /ɔ/, matters in Portuguese. These are different sounds that create different words. With practice, you will learn to hear and produce both versions.
The reduced vowel
/ɐ/ represents a reduced, unstressed "uh" sound, similar to the "a" in "sofa." This sound appears frequently at the ends of words and in unstressed syllables. You find it in words like casa /ˈkazɐ/ (house) and porta /ˈpɔʁtɐ/ (door).
Nasal vowel sounds
Portuguese has nasal vowels. These are vowels that you pronounce while allowing air to pass through your nose. English does not have nasal vowels as distinct sounds, so these require practice.
To produce a nasal vowel, lower your soft palate (the soft part at the back of the roof of your mouth) while saying the vowel. This allows air to flow through your nose at the same time as your mouth.
Nasal vowels in IPA are written with a tilde (~) over the vowel symbol:
/ã/ is a nasal "ah" sound, like in mãe /ˈmãj/ (mother) and pão /ˈpãw/ (bread).
/ẽ/ is a nasal "eh" sound, like in bem /ˈbẽj/ (well) and tempo /ˈtẽpu/ (time).
/ĩ/ is a nasal "ee" sound, like in fim /ˈfĩ/ (end) and sim /ˈsĩ/ (yes).
/õ/ is a nasal "oh" sound, like in som /ˈsõ/ (sound) and bom /ˈbõ/ (good).
/ũ/ is a nasal "oo" sound, like in um /ˈũ/ (one/a) and algum /awˈgũ/ (some).
In Portuguese spelling, nasal vowels often appear before the letters m or n, or with a tilde accent mark (ã, õ). The IPA symbol tells you that you need to nasalize the vowel.
Consonant sounds similar to English
Many Portuguese consonants sound very similar to English consonants. When you see these IPA symbols, you can produce them the same way you do in English:
/p/ as in pai /ˈpaj/ (father)
/b/ as in bola /ˈbɔlɐ/ (ball)
/t/ as in tudo /ˈtudu/ (everything)
/d/ as in dedo /ˈdedu/ (finger)
/k/ as in casa /ˈkazɐ/ (house)
/g/ as in gato /ˈgatu/ (cat)
/f/ as in faca /ˈfakɐ/ (knife)
/v/ as in vaca /ˈvakɐ/ (cow)
/s/ as in sala /ˈsalɐ/ (room)
/z/ as in zero /ˈzɛɾu/ (zero)
/m/ as in mão /ˈmãw/ (hand)
/n/ as in nome /ˈnõmi/ (name)
/l/ as in lua /ˈluɐ/ (moon)
Consonant sounds that differ from English
Some Portuguese consonants look familiar but represent sounds that differ from English or do not exist in English.
The sh and zh sounds
/ʃ/ represents the "sh" sound, as in the English word "shoe." In Portuguese, you find this sound in words like chá /ˈʃa/ (tea) and achar /aˈʃaʁ/ (to find). Portuguese spelling uses ch or x for this sound.
/ʒ/ represents the "zh" sound, as in the English word "measure." In Portuguese, you find this sound in words like já /ˈʒa/ (already) and gente /ˈʒẽtʃi/ (people). Portuguese spelling uses j or g (before e or i) for this sound.
The r sounds
Portuguese has multiple r sounds that differ from English.
/ɾ/ represents a flap, which is a very quick tap of your tongue against the roof of your mouth. This is similar to the sound Americans make in the middle of "butter" or "water." You find this sound in words like caro /ˈkaɾu/ (expensive) and para /ˈpaɾɐ/ (for/to).
/ʁ/ represents a sound produced at the back of your throat, similar to the French "r" or the "h" in English "hello," but with a slight friction. You find this sound in words like rato /ˈʁatu/ (rat) and carro /ˈkaʁu/ (car). This sound appears at the beginning of words and when r is doubled (rr) in spelling.
Some dictionaries and resources use /x/ or /h/ instead of /ʁ/ for this sound. They all represent the same basic pronunciation.
The ny sound
/ɲ/ represents a sound like the "ny" in "canyon" or the "ñ" in Spanish "señor." You find this sound in words like ninho /ˈniɲu/ (nest) and anha /ˈaɲɐ/ (scratch). Portuguese spelling uses nh for this sound.
The ly sound
/ʎ/ represents a sound similar to the "lli" in "million." Your tongue touches your palate while you produce an "l" sound. You find this sound in words like filho /ˈfiʎu/ (son) and trabalho /tɾaˈbaʎu/ (work). Portuguese spelling uses lh for this sound.
The tch and dzh sounds
In Brazilian Portuguese, the sounds /t/ and /d/ change when they appear before the vowels /i/ or /ĩ/.
/tʃ/ represents a "ch" sound, like in English "cheese." You find this sound in words like tia /ˈtʃiɐ/ (aunt) and noite /ˈnojtʃi/ (night). The spelling shows t before i or e (when the e sounds like /i/).
/dʒ/ represents a "j" sound, like in English "juice." You find this sound in words like dia /ˈdʒiɐ/ (day) and arde /ˈaʁdʒi/ (afternoon). The spelling shows d before i or e (when the e sounds like /i/).
This change does not happen in European Portuguese, only in Brazilian Portuguese.
Glide sounds
Glides are sounds that slide from one position to another. Portuguese has two glides:
/j/ represents a "y" sound, as in English "yes." You find this sound in words like maio /ˈmaju/ (May) and pai /ˈpaj/ (father).
/w/ represents a "w" sound, as in English "way." You find this sound in words like mau /ˈmaw/ (bad) and qual /ˈkwaw/ (which).
These glides often appear in combination with vowels to form diphthongs. A diphthong is when two vowel sounds blend together in one syllable, like /aj/ in pai or /aw/ in mau.
Understanding stress marks
The symbol /ˈ/ appears before a syllable to show stress. Stress means you emphasize that syllable by making it louder, longer, or higher in pitch.
In the word casa /ˈkazɐ/, the stress mark appears before /ka/, telling you to emphasize the first syllable: "KA-za," not "ka-ZA."
In the word café /kaˈfɛ/, the stress mark appears before /fɛ/, telling you to emphasize the second syllable: "ka-FEH," not "KA-feh."
Portuguese stress patterns follow rules based on spelling and word endings, but the IPA stress mark removes any guesswork. When you see /ˈ/, you know exactly which syllable to emphasize.
How to practice using IPA
Learning to read IPA takes practice. Here are ways to build this skill:
Look up words you are learning in a dictionary that includes IPA. Compare the IPA transcription with the spelling. Notice which letters represent which sounds. Over time, you will start to see patterns.
When you encounter a new word, try reading the IPA before listening to the pronunciation. Then listen and check if you were correct. This trains you to convert symbols into sounds.
Focus on sounds that do not exist in English. The nasal vowels, the flap /ɾ/, and the palatalized consonants /ɲ/ and /ʎ/ require the most practice for English speakers. Spend extra time with these sounds.
Remember that IPA is a tool. You do not need to memorize every symbol immediately. As you learn more Portuguese words, you will naturally become more familiar with the IPA symbols that appear frequently.
Common IPA variations
Different dictionaries and resources sometimes use slightly different IPA symbols for the same sound. This happens because phoneticians sometimes disagree about the exact details of certain sounds.
For Brazilian Portuguese, you might see variations such as:
- /x/ or /h/ instead of /ʁ/ for the guttural r sound
- /e/ and /o/ used in unstressed positions where other sources might show /i/ and /u/
- Different symbols for the exact quality of nasal vowels
These variations do not significantly change how you should pronounce the word. They reflect different approaches to transcription. If you encounter an unfamiliar symbol, context usually makes the meaning clear.
When to use IPA
Use IPA whenever you are unsure how to pronounce a word. This is especially important when you are learning independently without a teacher or native speaker to model pronunciation for you.
IPA helps you in several situations:
When you learn a new word from reading and have never heard it spoken, check the IPA to learn the correct pronunciation from the start. This prevents you from developing incorrect pronunciation habits.
When you notice that a word sounds different from how it is spelled, look at the IPA to understand exactly which sounds the spelling represents.
When you want to understand why two words sound similar or different, compare their IPA transcriptions. This reveals which sounds are the same and which differ.
IPA gives you independence. You do not need to wait for someone to tell you how a word sounds. You can figure it out yourself.