Portuguese spelling is mostly consistent, but a few letters and digraphs regularly trip up learners. The worst offender is x, which has four different pronunciations. Here are the ones to learn, with audio and patterns that make them predictable.
LH: [ʎ]
Lh is a palatal lateral: the middle of the tongue presses against the hard palate and air flows around the sides, as for l. The closest English sound is the lli of million said quickly. Examples: , , , , , .
English speakers often pronounce it as [l] + [j], "fil-yo", which is close enough to be understood. The main error to avoid is a plain [l], because it can create a different word:
- (queue) / (daughter) · (spring) / (wets) · (candle) / (old woman) · (rooster) / (branch)
NH: [ɲ]
Nh is a palatal nasal, like Spanish ñ or the ny in canyon: , , , , , . In relaxed Brazilian speech it often weakens into a nasal glide, [j̃], so vinho can sound like "vĩyu". It contrasts with n:
- (sleep) / (dream) · (pin) / (pine) · (sister, colloquial) / (whining)
CH, J and G
- ch is always [ʃ], as in English ship: , , , . Never the English ch of church.
- j is [ʒ], as in measure: , , , .
- g before e or i is also [ʒ]: , , . Before a, o, u it is [g]: . Gu before e/i is [g] with a silent u: , .
S, SS, Ç and Z
| Spelling | Sound | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| s at the start of a word, after a consonant | [s] | |
| s between vowels | [z] | |
| ss, ç, c before e/i | [s] | |
| z (before a vowel) | [z] | |
| s or z at the end of a syllable | [s] in most of Brazil; [ʃ] in Rio and Portugal |
The pair (house, [z]) / (hunt, [s]) shows why single s between vowels must be voiced.
The four sounds of X
| Sound | When | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| [ʃ] (most common) | at the start of words; after ai, ei, ou; after en-; in many other words | |
| [z] | in ex- before a vowel | |
| [s] | in ex- before a consonant (Brazil), and in some words between vowels | |
| [ks] | in some learned words |
Tip: when you meet a new word with x and cannot check it, [ʃ] is the safest guess, unless the word starts with ex-. And in Rio and Portugal, ex- before a consonant is [ɐjʃ] or [ejʃ]: texto [ˈtejʃ.tu].
How is the x pronounced?
Choose an answer to see the explanation.
1. peixe (fish)
- [ʃ]
- [ks]
- [z]
Answer: [ʃ]. After ei, x is [ʃ]: [ˈpej.ʃi].
2. exemplo
- [ʃ]
- [ks]
- [z]
Answer: [z]. Ex- before a vowel is [z]: [e.ˈzẽ.plu].
3. táxi
- [ʃ]
- [ks]
- [s]
Answer: [ks]. Táxi is a learned/international word with [ks].
4. próximo
- [ʃ]
- [ks]
- [s]
Answer: [s]. Próximo has [s]: [ˈpɾɔ.si.mu]. [ks] is heard but considered non-standard.
5. xícara (cup)
- [ʃ]
- [ks]
- [z]
Answer: [ʃ]. Initial x is [ʃ].
Phrases in this drill:
- Minha filha trabalha amanhã.
- Eu acho que vai chover.
- O peixe está na caixa.
- Por exemplo, o próximo táxi.
- Quero uma xícara de chá, senhor.
Frequently asked questions
Is Portuguese lh the same as Spanish ll?
It is the sound Spanish ll had historically, a palatal lateral [ʎ], similar to lli in English million. Most Spanish speakers today pronounce ll as a y-sound, but Portuguese lh has kept the lateral.
How do I know how to pronounce x in Portuguese?
There is no complete rule; you need to learn words. Useful patterns: x at the start of a word and after ai, ei, ou or en is [ʃ]; ex- before a vowel is usually [z]; x in learned or Latin words is often [ks].
Is nh the same as Spanish ñ?
Very close. Both are palatal nasals. In Brazilian Portuguese, nh is often pronounced more weakly, as a nasalised glide [j̃] that nasalises the preceding vowel: vinho [ˈvĩ.j̃u].
Sources and further reading
- Academia Brasileira de Letras (2009). Vocabulário Ortográfico da Língua Portuguesa (5th ed.). Global Editora.
- Barbosa, P. A. and Albano, E. C. (2004). Brazilian Portuguese. Journal of the International Phonetic Association, 34(2), 227–232.
- Cristófaro Silva, T. (2003). Fonética e fonologia do português (7th ed.). Contexto.
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