3 "L" before a vowel, sounds like a normal English "L"
✅ When the L comes before a vowel (La, Le, Li, Lo, Lu) it sounds like a regular "L", just like in English. Nothing changes!
La→
La
regular L ✅
Le→
Le
regular L ✅
Li→
Li
regular L ✅
Lo→
Lo
regular L ✅
Lu→
Lu
regular L ✅
4 Words ending in "-ity" (English) → "-ade" (Portuguese)
-ity → -ade (pronounced: ah-jee)
💡 Golden rule:
Many English words ending in "-ity" become "-ade" in Portuguese, pronounced ah-jee.
Truth→
Verdade
Verdayi
Happiness→
Felicidade
Felicidayi
Charity→
Caridade
Caridayi
Community→
Comunidade
Comunidayi
Honesty→
Honestidade
Onestidayi
City→
Cidade
Sidayi
Liberty/Freedom→
Liberdade
Liberdayi
University→
Universidade
Universidayi
5 Final "o" (no accent) sounds like "oo"
final -o (no accent) → "oo"
Pedro→
Pedro
Pedru
Bruno→
Bruno
Brunu
Camilo (name)→
Camilo
Camilu
Cat→
Gato
Gatu
Pretty/Handsome→
Bonito
Bonitu
Charm/Enchantment→
Encanto
Encantu
6 "Di" sounds like "jee"
di → jee
Day→
Dia
Yia
Diana (name)→
Diana
Yiana
Disc/Record→
Disco
Yiscu
Difficult→
Difícil
Yifíciu
Different→
Diferente
Yiferenchi
To divide→
Dividir
Yiviyir
7 Initial R and double RR sound like the English "H"
initial R- / RR → H
💡 Attention:
The R at the beginning of a word and the double RR in the middle sound like the English "H" (as in "hat"). A single R in the middle of a word sounds soft, similar to a light tap of the tongue.
River→
Rio
Hiu
Rodrigo (name)→
Rodrigo
Hodrigu
Car→
Carro
Cahu
Fast→
Rápido
Hápidu
King→
Rei
Hei
Earth/Land→
Terra
Teha
8 "Ti" sounds like "chee"
ti → chee
Aunt→
Tia
Chia
Uncle→
Tio
Chiu
Tiago (name)→
Tiago
Chiagu
Santiago (name)→
Santiago
Sanchiagu
Red wine (slang)→
Tinto
Chintu
Politician→
Político
Políchicu
9 Final "-te" sounds like "chee"
final -te → chee
Tomato→
Tomate
Tomachi
Absent→
Ausente
Ausenchi
Different→
Diferente
Yiferenchi
Patient→
Paciente
Pacienchi
People→
Gente
Genchi
Resistant→
Resistente
Hesistenchi
10 Final "e" (no accent) sounds like "ee"
final -e (no accent) → ee
💡 Everyday examples:
Me→
Me
Mi
Of/From→
De
Yi
You (object)→
Te
Chi
If / -self→
Se
Si
🗣️ Full phrases:
"De nada" (You're welcome) → Yi nada
"Te amo" (I love you) → Chi amu
✏️ Exercises, Let's Do It Together
How is it pronounced in Brazilian Portuguese? Complete and click 🔊 to listen.
1
"Normal" in Portuguese sounds like:
✅ Normau, the final L becomes "oo"
2
"Community" in Portuguese is and sounds like
✅ Comunidade, pronounced: Comunidayi
3
"Carro" (car) in Portuguese sounds like:
✅ Cahu, RR sounds like an English H, final O becomes "oo"
4
"Tio" (uncle) in Portuguese sounds like:
✅ Chiu, Ti → chee, final O → "oo"
5
"Happiness" in Portuguese is and sounds like
✅ Felicidade, pronounced: Felicidayi
6
"Difícil" (difficult) in Portuguese sounds like:
✅ Yifíciu, Di→jee, final L→"oo"
7
"Gente" (people) in Portuguese sounds like:
✅ Genchi, final -te → chee, final E → "ee"
8
How is "De nada" (you're welcome) pronounced in Portuguese?
✅ Yi nada, De → yi (final E → "ee")
🏆 Challenge, combining several rules:
9
How does "Diferente" (different) sound in Portuguese?
✅ Yiferenchi, Di→jee · -te→chee · final E→"ee"
10
How does "Rodrigo" sound in Portuguese?
✅ Hodrigu, initial R→H · final O→"oo"
11
How does "Santiago" sound in Portuguese?
✅ Sanchiagu, Ti→chee · final O→"oo"
📖 Reading Text, Practice in Class
Read the text out loud. Apply the rules you just learned!
🎪 World of the Circus
A partir deste sábado, 16 de Maio, o Mundodo Circo,
espaço que fica dentrodo Parque da Juventude,
recebe atividades gratuitas na programação especialde fim de ano.
Habilidades circenses,
exposição sobreo universodo circoe
diversos espetáculos para você e toda sua família.
💡 Highlighted in yellow: words with sounds we practiced in this class. Pay attention to the pronunciation of each one when reading out loud!
📝 Homework / Practice
1
Watch the video: "South America on Wheels, Medellín" (in Portuguese)
Pay attention to how Brazilians speak, the pronunciation and the rhythm.
Then answer: was it easy to understand? Notice the pronunciation differences we saw today and write down what stood out the most.
Nilton was born in São Paulo and has lived in Colombia for more than 10 years. That's where he discovered what he loves doing most: teaching Portuguese to people who will actually use the language, at work, at university, in real life.
He has taught at language centers and inside large companies in the Valle de Aburrá, such as ISA, Interconexión Eléctrica, SmartFit, Grupo Éxito, Bancolombia, and Absolute. Each group needed a different kind of Portuguese: administration, technology, development, help desk, sales, psychology, economics. Nilton adapted the method to each reality, always applying the language to the student's daily work, never just theory.
The result? Many students went on to study or do an exchange program in Brazil. Some still live there today, living in Portuguese what they learned in class.
This is the same method you're using right now, at Clases Portugués. 🚀
