Study Resource: Plural noun reference sheet
Brazilian Portuguese nouns that are always plural
The following nouns in Brazilian Portuguese are always plural.
Brazilian Portuguese | English |
|---|---|
os parabéns | the congratulations |
as costas* | the back |
as férias | the vacation |
os óculos | the glasses |
as núpcias | the nuptials |
os pêsames | the condolences |
os arredores | the surroundings |
as olheiras | the under eye dark circles |
as Olimpíadas | the Olympic games |
Nouns that have a singular form in Brazilian Portuguese but not in English
The following nouns can be singular in Brazilian Portuguese, even though they are always plural in English.
Singular | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|
a calça | as calças | the pants |
a tesoura | as tesouras | the scissors |
a pinça | as pinças | the tongs |
o aparelho ortodôntico | os aparelhos ortodônticos | the braces |
a cueca | as cuecas | the briefs |
a calça jeans | as calças jeans | the jeans |
a calcinha | as calcinhas | the knickers |
o pijama | os pijamas | the pajamas |
o short | os shorts | the shorts |
a meia-calça | as meias-calças | the tights |
a notícia | as notícias | the news |
a bateria | as baterias | the drums |
o macacão | os macacões | the dungarees |
a escada | as escadas | the stairs |
a gengiva | as gengivas | the gums |
a louça | as louças | the dishes |
Plural form of nouns ending in ‘-x’
The following Brazilian Portuguese nouns, which end in -x, have the same form in the singular vs. plural.
Singular | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|
o botox | os botox | the botox |
o ex | os ex | the ex |
o tórax | os tórax | the chest |
o látex | os látex | the latex |
a fênix | as fênix | the phoenix |
o dúplex | os dúplex | the duplex |
o fax | os fax | the fax |
o clímax | os clímax | the climax |
Exceptions to the ‘-ão’ → ‘ões’ rule
Most Brazilian Portuguese nouns that end in -ão in the singular end with -ões in the plural, but there are a few exceptions that take -ães or -ãos in the plural instead. These include the following nouns:
-ão → ães
SingularPluralEnglisho pão
os pães
the bread
o alemão
os alemães
the German(s)
o cão
os cães
the dog(s)
o capitão
os capitães
the captain(s)
o catalão
os catalães
the Catalan(s)
o guardião
os guardiães
the guardian(s)
-ão → ãos
SingularPluralEnglisho chão
os chãos
the floor(s)
o cidadão
os cidadãos
the citizen(s)
o cristão
os cristãos
the Christian(s)
o grão
os grãos
the grain(s)
o irmão
os irmãos
the brother(s)
o mão
os mãos
the hand(s)
o órfão
os órfãos
the orphan(s)
o órgão
os órgãos
the organ(s)
o sótão
os sótãos
the attic(s)
