Much of your Portuguese vocabulary will come via direct transfer from Spanish. Vocabulary transfer has been implicit in our discussion of sounds in part I. We showed there how certain correspondences can guide you in the process. We indicated, for example, the great utility of knowing that Spanish ie and ue often correspond to Portuguese open e and open o, respectively, and that Spanish -ión, -on and -an (the latter two both stressed and unstressed) often correspond to the Portuguese nasal diphthong -ãu. In this section we will examine other correspondences, many of them not involving new sounds. We have attempted to separate the common ones from those that occur only occasionally. We have reserved a special place for those that involve word endings.
As a final note on vocabulary transfer we have listed several items that can be transferred only with considerable caution: false cognates.
Some Patterns of Correspondences
Common Correspondences
1. Sounds
• The Spanish h sound does not exist in Portuguese. In cognate words the h sound usually converts to one of three sounds: sh, zh, or lh. Study these groupings:
a.
Spanish h | Portuguese sh sound |
jefe | chefe |
bajo | baixo |
quejarse | queixar-se |
embajada | embaixada |
caja | caixa |
dejar | deixar |
bruja | bruxa |
b.
Spanish h | Portuguese zh sound |
junio | junho |
julio | julho |
junto | junto |
juez | juiz |
generoso | generoso |
gente | gente |
joven | jovem |
ligera | ligeira |
jugar | jogar |
adjectivo | adjetivo |
sargento | sargento |
extranjero | estrangeiro |
jardín | jardim |
reloj | relógio |
viaje | viagem |
página | página |
c.
Spanish h | Portuguese lh (ll of Spanish calle) |
mujer | mulher |
orejas | orelhas |
mejor | melhor |
trabajar | trabalhar |
mojar | molhar |
escoger | escolher |
abeja | abelha |
viejo | velho |
ojo | ôlho |
aguja | agulha |
NOTE: Spanish jabón / Portuguese sabão (s of English 'Sam')
Note also: Spanish ejemplo, ejercicio / Portuguese exemplo, exercício (where the x is pronounced like z of English 'zebra')
• Spanish ll sometimes shows up as l, sometimes as sh, and sometimes as lh (no change). Study these groupings:
a.
Spanish ll | Portuguese l |
bello | belo |
cabello | cabelo |
llevar | levar |
gallina | galinha |
amarillo | amarelo |
ella | ela |
allí | ali |
villa | vila |
caballo | cavalo |
callar | calar |
fallecer | falecer |
b.
Spanish ll | Portuguese sh sound |
llorar | chorar |
llamar | chamar |
llegar | chegar |
llave | chave |
llover | chover |
llano | chão |
lleno | cheio |
c.
Spanish ll | Portuguese lh (no change) |
fallar | falhar |
milla | milha |
millón | milhão |
toalla | toalha |
billete | bilhete |
Notice that Spanish ll appears between vowels in the first group (with the exception of llevar), and at the beginning of the words in the second group.
• Spanish n often corresponds to Portuguese nh; and conversely, Portuguese n often corresponds to Spanish ñ. Observe these groupings.
a.
Spanish n | Portuguese nh |
dinero | dinheiro |
camino | caminho |
ganar | ganhar |
sobrina | sobrinha |
tocino | toucinho |
vino | vinho |
amanecer | amanhecer |
cocina | cozinha |
espina | espinha |
b.
Spanish ñ | Portuguese n |
año | ano |
pequeño | pequeno |
caña | cana |
enseñar | ensinar |
dañar | danar |
pestaña | pestana |
• Portuguese inserts an f sound in a number of words where Spanish has the 'silent' printed h.
Spanish h (silent) | Portuguese f |
higo | figo |
hígado | fígado |
hacer | fazer |
hormiga | formiga |
hacienda | fazenda |
herir | ferir |
humo | fumo |
hervir | ferver |
hierro | ferro |
hazaña | façanha |
hijo * | filho |
hoja * | fôlha |
huracán | furação |
almohada | almofada |
* See grouping 1c above.
• Spanish ch often corresponds to Portuguese t.
Spanish ch | Portuguese t |
aprovechar | aproveitar |
techo | teto |
noche | noite |
leche | leite |
luchar | lutar |
estrecho | estreito |
hecho | feito |
ocho | oito |
mucho | muito |
• Previously, in another context, we mentioned that sometimes the Spanish s sound corresponds to the Portuguese z sound. Let us review that point.
Spanish s | Portuguese z (spelled with s) |
casa | casa |
cosa | coisa |
blusa | blusa |
música | música |
acusar | acusar |
veces | vêzes |
hacer | fazer |
cocina | cozinha |
azul | azul |
zorro | zorro |
• Spanish kt is often reduced to just t in Portuguese.
Spanish kt | Portuguese t |
acto | ato |
doctor | doutor |
dictador | ditador |
actual | atual |
contacto | contato |
carácter | caráter |
víctima | vítima |
perfecto | perfeito |
practicar | praticar |
arquitectura | arquitetura |
• Many Spanish words containing ks lose the k in the Portuguese cognate.
Spanish ks | Portuguese s (sound) |
acción | ação |
sección | seção |
lección | lição |
accidente | acidente |
occidental | ocidental |
There are exceptions. Note Portuguese ficcão and succão, both of which retain the k sound.
• Likewise, Spanish words containing mn are likely to lose the m in the Portuguese cognate.
Spanish mn | Portuguese n |
alumno | aluno |
columna | coluna |
himno | hino |
solemne | solene |
amnistía | anistia |
indemnizar | indenizar |
calumnia | calúnia |
The m is retained in amnésia.
• The l sound, as the second element of a Spanish cluster, often changes to an r sound in Portuguese. This happens quite frequently if the first element of the cluster is p, much less frequently in other cases.
Spanish consonant + l | Portuguese consonant + r |
placer
|
prazer |
playa | praia |
plato | prato |
plata | prata |
plaza | praça |
plaga | praga |
plazo | prazo |
cumplir | cumprir |
emplear | empregar |
sable | sabre |
blanco | branco |
doblar | dobrar |
noble | nobre |
obligar | obrigar |
flaco | fraco |
flota | frota |
iglesia | igreja |
esclavo | escravo |
• Spanish -ano often corresponds to Portuguese -ão.
Spanish | Portuguese |
mano | mão |
hermano | irmão |
verano | verão |
anciano | ancião |
sano | são |
aldeano | aldeão |
Notice, however, Portuguese puritano, and colombiano, americano, venezuelano, persiano and many other nationalities.
• Spanish -ana often corresponds to Portuguese -ã
Spanish | Portuguese |
hermana | irmã |
manzana | maçã |
mañana | amanhã |
alemana | alemã |
anciana | anciã |
aldeana | aldeã |
sana | sã |
Notice, however, Portuguese campana, puritana, banana, as well as americana, colombiana and many other nationalities.
2. Word Endings
• Most Spanish adjectives ending in -ble will end in -vel in Portuguese.
Spanish | Portuguese |
horrible | horrível |
terrible | terrível |
favorable | favorável |
notable | notável |
posible | possível |
indispensable | indispensável |
amable | amável |
agradable | agradável |
• Portuguese equivalents of Spanish words ending in -dad (or -tad) and -tud usually add an unstressed i sound. In addition, the t of Spanish -tad is likely to be a d in Portuguese.
Spanish | Portuguese |
verdad | verdade |
dignidad | dignidade |
facilidad | facilidade |
dificultad | dificuldade |
lealtad | lealdade |
libertad | liberdade |
magnitud | magnitude |
actitud | atitude |
Some of the more notable exceptions:
Spanish | Portuguese |
aptitud | aptidão |
amistad | amizade |
• The s sound of the Spanish endings -eza and -oso corresponds to a z sound in Portuguese.
Spanish | Portuguese |
firmeza | firmeza |
riqueza | riqueza |
gentileza | gentileza |
fortaleza | fortaleza |
poderoso | poderoso |
famoso | famoso |
amoroso | amoroso |
espantoso | espantoso |
• The Spanish diminutive endings -ito(a) and -cito(a) correspond to Portuguese -inho(a) and -zinho(a)
Spanish | Portuguese |
carrito | carrinho |
Pablito | Paulinho |
mesita | mesinha |
casita | casinha |
cafecito | cafezinho |
pobrecita | pobrezinha |
• The Spanish noun-ending -ero generally corresponds to the Portuguese noun-ending -eiro. Notice the diphthong in the Portuguese forms.
Spanish | Portuguese |
portero | porteiro |
cartero | carteiro |
minero | mineiro |
zapatero | sapateiro |
vaquero | vaqueiro |
cocinero | cozinheiro |
The Spanish words presencia, diferencia, licencia and sentencia lose the ia diphthong in Portuguese. Most other words ending in -encia retain it. Thus:
Spanish | Portuguese |
presencia | presença |
diferencia | diferença |
licencia | licença |
sentencia | sentença |
but
Spanish | Portuguese |
eficiencia | eficiência |
paciencia | paciência |
inteligencia | inteligência |
providencia | providência |
esencia | essência |
competencia | competência |
Other word endings already discussed in other contexts include Spanish -ción / Portuguese -cão, and Spanish -aje / Portuguese -agem
Less Common Correspondences
The correspondences listed below are found in a smaller number of cognates than those listed above under 'Common Correspondences.' The cognates themselves may, of course, be very common words. In some cases, the examples given may be the only ones of their kind.
• Absence of l in Portuguese
Spanish | Portuguese |
salir | sair |
volar | voar |
doler | doer |
saludar | saudar |
diablo | diabo |
• Absence of n in Portuguese
Spanish | Portuguese |
comenzar | começar |
moneda | moeda |
defensa | defesa |
venado | veado |
amenaza | ameaça |
luna | lua |
crimen | crime |
• Absence of l or n and adjacent vowel in Portuguese.
Spanish | Portuguese |
color | côr |
dolor | dor |
poner | pôr |
tener | ter |
venir | vir |
general | geral |
sólo | só |
ganado | gado |
• Absence of r in Portuguese
Spanish | Portuguese |
almorzar | almoçar |
sangre | sangue |
rostro | rosto |
• Absence of br in portuguese
Spanish | Portuguese |
nombre | nome |
hombre | homem |
acostumbrarse | acostumar-se |
• n becomes l in Portuguese
Spanish | Portuguese |
naranja | laranja |
berenjena | berinjela |
• Reversal of vowel and consonant
Spanish | Portuguese |
preguntar | perguntar |
apretar | apertar |
• Shift of diphthong, from after the consonant to before the consonant.
Spanish | Portuguese |
apio | aipo |
barrio | bairro |
novio | noivo |
• Vowel changes
1. Spanish e to Portuguese i
Spanish | Portuguese |
eso | isso |
lengua | língua |
venganza | vingança |
edad | idade |
profesional | profissional |
enseñar | ensinar |
corregir | corrigir |
vecino | vizinho |
2. Spanish u to Portuguese o
Spanish | Portuguese |
jugar | jogar |
ocurrir | ocorrer |
sufrir | sofrer |
rutina | rotina |
cubrir | cobrir |
3. Spanish o to Portuguese u
Spanish | Portuguese |
costar | custar |
sorpresa | surprêsa |
sordo | surdo |
• Spanish vowel to Portuguese diphthong
Spanish | Portuguese |
casi | quase |
más | mais |
jamás | jamais |
caja | caixa |
bajo | baixo |
dos | dois |
cosa | coisa |
noche | noite |
poco | pouco |
tesoro | tesouro |
• Spanish diphthong to Portuguese vowel
Spanish | Portuguese |
cuaderno | caderno |
antigua | antiga |
treinta | trinta |
veinte | vinte |
• Changes in stress patterns
Spanish | Portuguese |
policía | polícia |
teléfono | telefone |
límite | limite |
nivel | nível |
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