Pronunciation
ORAL VOWELS | ||
---|---|---|
Corresponding Sound in English | Practical Rules and Notes | |
father | a | When stressed position or before stressed syllables |
á | Always stressed and open | |
sofa or America | a | When unstressed or word final |
ant | â | Always stressed and closed |
best, bed | e | |
é | Always stressed and open | |
case, day | e | A bit clipped |
ê | Always stressed and closed | |
routine | e | Only in few situations |
machine, routine, did | i | Note: Different Portuguese pronunciations are often clipped sharply, like a mute e. Accent does not alter pronunciation |
off | o | Open, mostly in stressed syllable |
ó | Always stressed and open | |
rose | o | But clipped |
go | ô | Always stressed and closed, and clipped |
loot | o | Monosyllabic words, unstressed word-final position, before stressed i, |
rune; loot | u | |
CONSONANTS | ||
kite; cap; cut | c | before a, o, u and consonants other than h |
center; cite | c | before e, i and consonants other than h |
see | ç | |
dog | d | before a, o, u and other consonants |
jar; jill; | d | before e, i |
go; game | g | before a, o, u and other consonants |
pleasure; measure | g | before e and unstressed final |
h | silent in word-initial position | |
pleasure; measure | j | like a soft j |
lead | l | In initial position: Formed with the tongue further forward, with the tip of the tongue near the upper teeth |
we;Softened | l | In final position: It is softer, similar to the sound of the letter -w |
man | m | In initial position: Like English m |
m | In final position or before a consonant: It tends to nasalize the preceding vowel | |
quake, quota | q | This letter is always followed by a u Before a, o |
kite | q | This letter is always followed by a u before e, i – u is silent |
r | In initial position or before another consonant: It’s pronounced at the back of the mouth (similar to a French back r). Like a breathy h Note: Different Portuguese pronunciations are trilled with the tongue vibrating in the gum ridge behind the upper teeth position. | |
r | In middle position, between vowels: Like a tap or flap against the ridge behind the top teeth. | |
r | In middle position or before another consonant: It’s pronounced at the back of the mouth (similar to a French back r). Like a breathy h. Note: Different Portuguese pronunciations are trilled with the tongue vibrating in the gum ridge behind the upper teeth position or like a tap or flap against the ridge behind the top teeth. | |
r | In final position: It’s pronounced at the back of the mouth (similar to a French back r). Like a breathy h. Note: Different Portuguese pronunciations are like a tap or flap against the ridge behind the top teeth or as the final letter of an infinitive verb, it is not usually pronounced at all. | |
see | s | In initial position or after another consonant: |
zipper | s | Between vowels |
zipper; azure | s | Before a voiced consonant b, d, ge, gi, j, l, m, n, r, v, or z Note: Different Portuguese pronunciations are like sh in shine |
see | s | In final position or before a voiceless consonant, c, g, f, p qu, and t. Note: Different Portuguese pronunciations are like sh in shine |
top; take | t | before a, o, u and other consonants |
chip; choose | t | before e, i |
| x | Note: Different variants of exception to the rules |
zipper; zeal | z | Is the common pronunciation |
s or sh | z | In final position or before a voiceless consonant |
DOUBLE CONSONANTS | ||
machine | ch | |
million | lh | |
onion | nh | |
rr | It’s pronounced at the back of the mouth (similar to a French back r). Like a breathy h. Note: Different Portuguese pronunciations are trilled with the tongue vibrating in the gum ridge behind the upper teeth position. | |
message, passage | ss |