Portuguese R is a small puzzle with a surprising solution. There are two R sounds, just as in Spanish, but in Brazil the "strong" one sounds nothing like a rolled R. It usually sounds like an English H, so Rio is [ˈhi.u] and carro is [ˈka.hu]. Once you know this, a lot of Brazilian speech that seemed mysterious makes sense.
Two R sounds
| Weak R (tap) | Strong R | |
|---|---|---|
| Sound | [ɾ], a single tap of the tongue | Brazil: [h] or [x]; Portugal: [ʁ] (uvular) or [r] (trill) |
| Spelling | r between vowels, r after a consonant in the same syllable | rr, r at the start of a word, r after n, l, s |
| Examples |
The spelling rules are exactly the same as Spanish. Only the sound of the strong R is different.
The tap
The tap [ɾ] is identical to the Spanish tap and to the American English flap in water, butter and ladder. The tongue tip makes one brief contact with the ridge behind the upper teeth. Examples: , , , , .
English speakers often use an English R here, which makes obrigado sound very foreign. Think of American oughta: o-bri-ga-do needs that quick flick.
The strong R: the Brazilian H
For the strong R, most Brazilians use a sound made at the back of the mouth or simply in the throat:
- [h], like English h in house: very common in Rio de Janeiro and across Brazil.
- [x], a light rasp like Scottish loch: common in many regions and in emphatic speech.
- [ɦ], a voiced h, between vowels: , .
For English speakers this is good news: you already have the sound. Just say English h: is "hatu", is "hoo-a", is "hapidu", is "Hobertu".
Brazilian names in English. This is why the footballer Ronaldinho's name is pronounced "Honaldinyu" in Brazil, and why Brazilians say "Hio" for Rio. The written H, by contrast, is always silent in Portuguese: hotel is [o.ˈtɛw].
R at the end of a syllable
This is where Brazilian accents differ most. For r before a consonant or at the end of a word, as in , , and , you will hear:
| Region | Sound | porta |
|---|---|---|
| Rio de Janeiro, North, much of Northeast | [h], [x] or [χ] | [ˈpɔh.tɐ] |
| São Paulo city, the South | tap [ɾ] | [ˈpɔɾ.tɐ] |
| Interior of São Paulo, Minas, Goiás, Paraná | retroflex [ɻ], like American R | [ˈpɔɻ.tɐ] |
In verb infinitives, the final r is very often dropped in conversation: "falá", "comê", "dormí". This is normal and not considered careless.
R in Portugal
In European Portuguese, the strong R is usually uvular, [ʁ], like the French R, especially in Lisbon. A trilled [r] is used by some speakers, mainly in the north and in rural areas. Final r is a tap and is not dropped, often followed by a light vowel: falar can sound like [fɐ.ˈla.ɾɨ].
Minimal pairs
These pairs differ only in tap vs strong R. With the Brazilian [h], the difference is very clear:
- (expensive) / (car)
- (wall) / (punch)
- (was) / (errs)
- (choir) / (I run)
- (outside) / (lines)
- (lives) / (die!)
Items in this drill: caro / carro; muro / murro; era / erra; coro / corro; fora / forra; mora / morra; careta / carreta; moro / morro.
Phrases in this drill:
- O carro do Roberto é caro.
- Eu moro no Rio de Janeiro.
- Obrigado pela porta aberta.
- Vamos correr na rua amanhã?
- A terra é muito rica.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Brazilian R sound like English H?
The "strong R" of Portuguese was historically a trill, as in Spanish. In Brazil it moved to the back of the mouth and then weakened to a velar or glottal fricative, [x] or [h]. In Rio and much of Brazil today it is [h], similar to English h.
Is the R in "porta" an H or a tap?
It depends on the region. In Rio and most of the North and Northeast it is [h] or [x]; in São Paulo city it is usually a tap; in the interior of São Paulo, Minas Gerais and the Centre-West it is often a retroflex, English-like R, the so-called "R caipira".
Do Brazilians pronounce the R at the end of verbs?
Often not. In casual speech across most of Brazil, the final r of infinitives is dropped: falar sounds like "falá", comer like "comê". In careful speech and in some regions it is pronounced.
Sources and further reading
- Barbosa, P. A. and Albano, E. C. (2004). Brazilian Portuguese. Journal of the International Phonetic Association, 34(2), 227–232.
- Callou, D., Moraes, J. and Leite, Y. (1996). Variação e diferenciação dialetal: a pronúncia do /r/ no português do Brasil. In I. Koch (ed.), Gramática do português falado, vol. 6, 465–493. Unicamp.
- Mateus, M. H. and d'Andrade, E. (2000). The Phonology of Portuguese, chapter 1.4 on rhotics. Oxford University Press.
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