Study Resource: Pronouncing the ‘o’ sound in Brazilian Portuguese masculine and feminine adjectives
In several Brazilian Portuguese adjectives that contain an o sound in their , the o is pronounced differently in the masculine form vs. the feminine form.
In the masculine form it is a “closed o” (more like the sound in “ocean”)
In the feminine it is an “open o” (more like the sound in “coffee”)
Though this change doesn’t affect the spelling of the adjective stem, it does affect pronunciation. Here is a list of common adjectives that display this change in pronunciation.
Masculine (closed o) | Feminine (open o) | English |
|---|---|---|
grosso | grossa | thick |
torto | torta | crooked |
morto | morta | dead |
absorto | absorta | absorbed |
cuidadoso | cuidadosa | careful |
disposto | disposta | willing |
idoso | idosa | elderly |
maldoso | maldosa | mean |
exposto | exposta | exposed |
caridoso | caridosa | charitable |
duvidoso | duvidosa | doubtful |
vaidoso | vaidosa | vain |
teimoso | teimosa | stubborn |
ansioso | ansiosa | anxious |
