melhor
/meˈʎɔʁ/
The English word "better" is translated into Portuguese as melhor.
The most common and versatile translation for "better" in Portuguese is melhor. It serves as the comparative form for both the adjective "good" and the adverb "well". Additionally, the related verb melhorar means "to improve".
Meaning: comparative of the adjectives good or well (adj)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When using melhor as an adjective, it must agree in number with the noun it modifies. For example, it becomes melhores in the plural. As noted, the word also functions as the comparative of the adverb "well".
How do you pronounce it?
/meˈʎɔʁ/
Did you know?
- The word melhor comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *mel-, which originally meant 'strong' or 'big' rather than 'good'.
- Portuguese speakers often use the phrase é melhor to give advice or a subtle command, which functions more like 'you should' than a literal comparison.
- In certain informal Brazilian dialects, you might hear people use melhor to mean 'the best' in an absolute sense, even though it is technically a comparative form.
Examples in context
- É melhor eu ir.I'd better go.This sentence is useful for expressing that it is better for the speaker to leave using melhor.Tatoeba #1330118 by alexmarcelo, translation #3636080 by CK
- O seu é melhor.Yours is better.This sentence is useful for comparing things using melhor.Tatoeba #5338526 by ajdavidl, translation #3826227 by CK
- Qual é o melhor?What's better?This sentence is useful for asking which option is better using melhor.Tatoeba #2766544 by Ricardo14, translation #2766223 by Balamax
- Estou me sentindo melhor hoje.I'm feeling better today.
- Nossa empresa obteve um ranking melhor neste trimestre.Our company achieved a better ranking this quarter.
- Acho que tenho uma ideia melhor para resolver o problema.I think I have a better idea to solve the problem.
- Esse novo modelo de carro apresenta um desempenho superior.This new car model has a better performance.
- Esta marca oferece uma qualidade superior aos concorrentes.This brand offers a better quality than competitors.
- Eu acho que esse filme é legal, mas o outro é melhor.I think this movie is cool, but the other one is better.
- A praia do Rio de Janeiro é mais da hora do que a de São Paulo.The beach in Rio de Janeiro is more amazing than the one in São Paulo.
- 1659 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rodrigo and Beatriz are comparing two different restaurants.
- RodrigoVocê achou a pizza boa?Did you think the pizza was good?
- BeatrizSim, mas o tempero poderia ser melhor.Yes, but the seasoning could be better.
- RodrigoEu concordo, o sabor está um pouco fraco.I agree, the flavor is a bit weak.
- BeatrizAquele outro lugar é melhor para nós.That other place is better for us.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “better” translations and entries melhor, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries melhor, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
