A1 (Beginner)Lesson 7: Sounds of Brazilian Portuguese
Portuguese's signature nasal vowels — a vowel hummed partly through the nose — are often marked by the til (~) or by m/n at the end of the same syllable. They're essential: one little hum is the difference between pau (stick) and pão (bread).
Five nasal vowels: ã, ẽ, ĩ, õ, ũ — these symbols show sounds; normally only a/o take a written til
Til (~) always nasalizes: não, pão, irmã
Vowel + m/n in the same syllable nasalizes: tempo, banco, sim, bom
-am / -em verb endings are nasal: falam, comem
Nasal diphthongs are everywhere: -ão, -ãe, -õe, -em
NH: palatal nasal [ɲ], similar to Spanish ñ; Brazilian speakers may also use nasalized [j̃]: tenho, senhor
Final -m usually marks a nasal vowel or diphthong; avoid adding a strong final [m]
One hum changes the word: pau/pão, mau/mão, sei/sem
vowel + til (~) = nasal · vowel + m/n at the end of the same syllable = nasal · final -m usually marks a nasal vowel or diphthong, rather than a full [m]
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Nasal sounds are everywhere in Portuguese — you can't even say não (no) or bom (good) without one. And the hum carries meaning: pau (stick) vs pão (bread), mau (bad) vs mão (hand). Skip the nasalization and a simple request turns into a comedy of errors — which is why these sounds are worth getting right from day one.
If Portuguese has a signature sound, this is it: the nasal vowel — a vowel you sing partly through your nose. It's why não and pão sound so unmistakably Brazilian, and it can take practice for learners. Good news: there are two useful written clues to watch for, and a little squiggle (the til) often marks the spot.
| Letter | Nasal | IPA | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | ã | [ɐ̃] | mãe, pão, irmã |
| E | ẽ | [ẽ] | bem, tempo, sem |
| I | ĩ | [ĩ] | sim, fim, jardim |
| O | õ | [õ] | bom, com, ontem |
| U | ũ | [ũ] | um, algum, atum |
"Não, obrigado" (No, thank you)
"Bom dia!" (Good morning!)
"Um café, por favor" (A coffee, please)
"Sim, com certeza" (Yes, certainly)
"Tem pão?" (Is there bread?)
um (one) · cem (a hundred) · quinze (fifteen) · cinquenta (fifty)
"Também não" (Me neither)
Some sounds vary by region and person:
muito — normally [ˈmũj̃tu], with nasalization that is not marked in the spelling
entrada — a brief nasal consonant may also be heard: [ẽˈtɾadɐ] or [ẽnˈtɾadɐ]
A nasal consonant in the next syllable can also nasalize a vowel, especially a stressed vowel in Brazil: cama, cana.
Borrowed words may preserve features of their source language or adapt to Portuguese:
"shopping," "campus," "Instagram" — do not assume that m/n avoids nasalization; listen to their Portuguese pronunciation.
adding a strong final [m] ("bomm," "simm") instead of learning the nasal vowel or diphthong
That little wave over ã and õ comes from an abbreviated n written above the line. Over time, the raised letter became the til (~), a sign of vowel nasalization. In modern lã (wool) or mão (hand), it marks a nasal vowel or diphthong; it does not tell you to pronounce a separate n.
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