adj
Common
Portuguese
paw-chuh-GEEZ
Portuguese (adj) means relating to Portugal, its people, or its culture. Example: “We tried authentic Portuguese pastries in Lisbon.”
adj
1
Relating to Portugal, its people, or its culture.
"We tried authentic Portuguese pastries in Lisbon."
noun
1
A person from Portugal.
"Many Portuguese emigrated to Brazil in the 20th century."
2
The Romance language of Portugal, also spoken in Brazil and several other countries.
"She learned Portuguese before moving to São Paulo."
How to use Portuguese
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRelating to Portugal, a person from Portugal, or the language spoken there and in Brazil.
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like Portuguese.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- Portugueses
- Comparative
- more Portuguese
- Superlative
- most Portuguese
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
We tried authentic _____ pastries in Lisbon.
Etymology
From Portuguese português, built from "Portugal" plus "-ese."
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for Portuguese
See all rhymes for Portuguese →Frequently asked questions
What does “Portuguese” mean?
The word “Portuguese” means relating to Portugal, its people, or its culture. In plain terms, relating to Portugal, a person from Portugal, or the language spoken there and in Brazil.
How do you pronounce “Portuguese”?
“Portuguese” is pronounced paw-chuh-GEEZ (/ˌpoɹ.t͡ʃəˈɡiz/ in IPA).
How do you use “Portuguese” in a sentence?
Here is “Portuguese” used in a sentence: “We tried authentic Portuguese pastries in Lisbon.”
What part of speech is “Portuguese”?
Depending on how it is used, “Portuguese” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “Portuguese” come from?
The word “Portuguese” comes from Portuguese. From Portuguese português, built from "Portugal" plus "-ese.".
Is “Portuguese” a common word?
“Portuguese” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “Portuguese” have?
“Portuguese” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: relating to Portugal, its people, or its culture.
How different are Portuguese and Spanish?
They are closely related but distinct Romance languages, not dialects of each other. Both developed on the Iberian Peninsula and share much vocabulary, but they differ clearly in pronunciation, spelling, and everyday wording, so speakers often understand each other's written language better than the spoken form.
Is Brazilian Portuguese the same as European Portuguese?
Brazil and Portugal share one language, Portuguese, but the Brazilian and European varieties differ in accent, some spelling, vocabulary, and small points of grammar. The differences are often compared to those between American and British English.
What is the plural of Portuguese?
Portuguese does not change in the plural: one Portuguese, two Portuguese. To refer to the people as a whole, English uses "the Portuguese," as in "the Portuguese are famous for their seafaring history."
Which countries speak Portuguese?
Portuguese is the language of Portugal and Brazil and is also official in several African countries, including Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, and São Tomé and Príncipe, as well as East Timor in Asia. Brazil has by far the largest number of speakers.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include Portuguese:
