Pronunciation

ORAL VOWELS
Corresponding Sound in English		Practical Rules and Notes
father	a	When stressed position or before stressed syllables
father	á	Always stressed and open
sofa or America	a	When unstressed or word final
ant	â	Always stressed and closed
best, bed	e
best, bed	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
off	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
some words as shoe (more often) some words as see some words as taxi, wax some words as zipper	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