LinguaThe consonants that sound like Portugal
The European s depends on where it stands. At the end of a syllable, before a pause or a voiceless consonant, it sounds like English “sh”: três (three), os, festa (party). Before a voiced consonant it becomes the “zh” of “measure”: mesmo (same), os dias. Between two vowels a single s is a z: casa, mesa. Written ss and ç are always a sharp s: massa (pasta), praça.
| Where | Sound | Words |
|---|---|---|
| s at the start of a word | s | sol, sete |
| s at the end, before a pause or p, t, c, f | sh | três, os, festa |
| s before b, d, g, m, n, l, r, v | zh, as in “measure” | mesmo, os dias |
| one s between vowels | z | casa, mesa |
| ss and ç | a sharp s | massa, praça |
l, then h, written together and read as one sound: the l with the middle of the tongue pressed up, like Italian “gli” – filho, trabalho.
n, then h: one sound, like Spanish ñ or the ny of “canyon” – vinho, amanhã.
c, then h: always the sound “sh” – chá (tea), chuva (rain). Never the “ch” of English “church”.
| Spelling | Sound | Words |
|---|---|---|
| lh | ly, as in Italian “gli” | filho, trabalho |
| nh | ny, as in “canyon” | vinho, amanhã |
| ch | sh | chá, chuva |
Two r’s side by side, only between vowels: the strong r. In Lisbon it is made at the back of the throat, like French r – carro. With one r in the same place you get a quick tap of the tongue – caro.
Two s’s side by side, only between vowels: a sharp s, never a z – massa. With one s you would hear z: mesa.
| Spelling | Sound | Words |
|---|---|---|
| r-, rr | strong r, at the back of the throat | rua, carro |
| -r- | one quick tap of the tongue | caro, para |
| -l | dark l, said deep in the mouth | Portugal, sol |
Amanhã há festa na rua.Tomorrow there is a party in the street.
O filho bebe chá.The son drinks tea.
Words in this lesson
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| três | three (3) | Tenho três irmãos. I have three brothers. |
| a festa | party, festival | A festa é no sábado. The party is on Saturday. |
| mesmo | same | É o mesmo livro. It is the same book. |
| a casa | house, home | A casa é pequena. The house is small. |
| a massa | pasta | Hoje há massa ao jantar. There is pasta for dinner today. |
| o filho | son | O filho da Ana tem cinco anos. Ana’s son is five. |
| o trabalho | work, job | O trabalho começa às nove. Work starts at nine. |
| o vinho | wine | O vinho do Porto é doce. Port wine is sweet. |
| amanhã | tomorrow | Até amanhã! See you tomorrow! |
| o chá | tea | Queres um chá? Would you like a tea? |
| a rua | street | A rua é estreita. The street is narrow. |
| o carro | car | O carro do avô é velho. Grandpa’s car is old. |
Exercises
This lesson has 10 exercises in the app:
- multiple choice: 3
- trace the letter: 3
- fill the gap: 2
- match the pairs: 1
- listen and type: 1
Try the first one
In which word does s sound like sh?
The answer, the other exercises, the audio and your progress are in the app – free at A0 and A1.