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December 20, 2024

The Portuguese Alphabet: A Complete Guide to Letters and Pronunciation

The Portuguese Alphabet: A Complete Guide to Letters and Pronunciation

Basic Letters and Sounds

The Portuguese alphabet consists of 26 letters, similar to English. Understanding these fundamental building blocks is crucial for your Portuguese language journey.

Letter Name in Portuguese Pronunciation Example
A a like 'a' in "father"
B b like 'b' in "boy"
C c like 'c' in "cat"
D d like 'd' in "dog"
E e like 'e' in "bed"

Important

Unlike French, which you might be familiar with from our previous lessons on conversation practice, Portuguese letters have consistent pronunciation rules that make reading much more straightforward.

Vowels and Their Sounds

Portuguese vowels are the foundation of proper pronunciation. Each vowel can have different sounds depending on whether it's stressed or unstressed.

Vowel Sound Variations Example Word
A (stressed) (coffee)
E (closed) (table)
I (like 'ee') (end)
O (open) (egg)
U (like 'oo') (grape)

Special Characters

Portuguese uses several special characters that modify pronunciation and meaning.

Character Usage Example
Til (~) Creates nasal sounds (apple)
Acute (´) Shows stressed syllables (coffee)
Circumflex (^) Indicates closed sounds (you)

Consonant Combinations

Some Portuguese consonants create unique sounds when combined.

Combination Sound Example Word
NH Similar to 'ny' (lady)
LH Similar to 'li' in "million" (son)
CH Like 'sh' in "shop" (key)

Notes

Remember that Portuguese pronunciation is more phonetic than English, meaning words are generally pronounced as they are written once you learn the basic rules.

Common Letter Patterns

Understanding common letter patterns will help you read and pronounce Portuguese words correctly.

Pattern Rule Example
GU + E/I 'G' sounds like in "guest" (war)
QU + E/I 'Q' sounds like in "key" (cheese)
S between vowels Sounds like 'z' (house)

Examples

Practice word: (Portuguese) This word contains several key elements: the stressed ê, the final s, and the u after g.

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