careca
/kaˈɾɛ.kɐ/masculine
The English word "bald" is translated into Portuguese as careca. Wiktionary also lists calvo.
Meaning: having little or no hair (adj)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| careca | /kaˈɾɛ.kɐ/ (Brazil) /kɐˈɾɛ.kɐ/ (Portugal) |
masculine |
| calvo | /ˈkaw.vu/ (Brazil) /ˈkal.vu/ (Portugal) |
Both calvo and careca are used to describe someone with little or no hair. While both are adjectives, careca can also function colloquially as a noun to refer to a bald head or a bald person.
Which one should you use?
calvo is a more formal or clinical term, whereas careca is the common, everyday word used in most situations.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The informal expressions Caretão and Caretinha are used mainly in Brazil.
How does it change in a sentence?
careca functions as both a masculine and feminine adjective, meaning it remains the same regardless of the gender of the person being described. However, calvo must change to calva to agree with a feminine subject.
How do you pronounce it?
careca is pronounced /kaˈɾɛ.kɐ/. It has 3 syllables, and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- The word careca is used in Brazil to describe a 'bald tire' that has lost its tread, often implying the vehicle is unsafe.
- Some linguists believe careca might be a contraction of the verb carecer, which means 'to lack' something.
- In some Brazilian regions, calling someone careca can be a friendly nickname regardless of whether the person is actually bald.
Examples in context
- O Tom é careca.Tom is bald.The first sentence uses careca to state that Tom is bald.Tatoeba #1175046 by paula_guisard, translation #1025079 by CK
- Meu pai é careca.My father is bald.The second sentence uses careca to say that a father is bald.Tatoeba #11957896 by ajdavidl, translation #8982356 by CK
- Ele é meio careca.He is kind of bald.The third sentence uses careca to describe someone as being kind of bald.Tatoeba #3267379 by Ricardo14, translation #3267380 by Ricardo14
- Ele ficou calvo muito cedoHe went bald very early
- O tratamento quimioterápico deixou-o desprovido de cabeloThe chemotherapy treatment left him bald
- Eu nunca imaginei que ficaria calva aos 25 anos.I never imagined I would go bald at 25.
- O ator raspou a cabeça para interpretar um personagem desprovido de cabelo.The actor shaved his head to play a bald character.
- 51 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rodrigo and Beatriz are talking about a new coworker.
- RodrigoVocê viu o novo colega? Ele é careca.Did you see the new colleague? He is bald.
- BeatrizSim, eu vi. Ele parece ser legal.Yes, I saw him. He seems to be nice.
- RodrigoEu acho que ele raspou o cabelo.I think he shaved his head.
- BeatrizO estilo careca combina com ele.The bald style suits him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bald” translations and entries careca, calvo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries calvo, careca, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
