banana
/baˈnɐ̃.nɐ/feminine
The Portuguese word for banana is banana.
banana refers to the common tropical fruit.
Meaning: fruit (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Northeastern region of Brazil, specifically in the state of Bahia, the term pacova is often used to refer to bananas.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because banana is a feminine noun, you use the feminine indefinite article uma to say 'a banana' (uma banana).
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable. The pronunciation is /baˈnɐ̃.nɐ/.
Did you know?
- In Brazilian Portuguese, the phrase dar uma banana involves a gesture of bending the arm and placing the hand under the armpit to mock someone.
- The Portuguese word banana was borrowed from a Niger-Congo language spoken in the Guinea region.
- While it is a fruit, calling someone a banana in Portuguese is a common slang term for a person who is perceived as weak, cowardly, or easily manipulated.
Examples in context
- Eu não quero banana.I don't want a banana.This sentence is useful for expressing a lack of desire for the fruit using banana.Tatoeba #5016265 by alexmarcelo, translation #5152825 by CarpeLanam
- O macaco quer banana.The monkey wants a banana.This sentence is useful for describing the preference of a monkey for banana.Tatoeba #5016277 by alexmarcelo, translation #5147543 by CarpeLanam
- Esta banana está podre.This banana is rotten.This sentence is useful for describing the condition of a banana.Tatoeba #5674584 by bill, translation #5111943 by WM3DAS
- 45 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rodrigo and Juliana are preparing a fruit salad in the kitchen.
- RodrigoJuliana, você quer banana na salada?Juliana, do you want banana in the salad?
- JulianaSim, eu adoro banana!Yes, I love banana!
- RodrigoOnde está a banana?Where is the banana?
- JulianaEstá na fruteira, Rodrigo.It is in the fruit bowl, Rodrigo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “banana” translations and entries banana, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries banana, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
