castelo
/kasˈtɛ.lu/masculine
The English word "castle" is translated into Portuguese as castelo.
castelo refers to a fortified building.
Meaning: fortified building (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Portugal, Castro is occasionally used to describe hilltop forts or ancient strongholds.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd of 3. The IPA is /kasˈtɛ.lu/.
Did you know?
- Portuguese has a loanword chatô borrowed from the French 'château' to describe a castle. While castelo is the standard term, chatô often evokes a more luxurious or residential palace style.
- The word castelo is closely related to the word castelo de cartas, referring to a house of cards. This phrase is used to describe a fragile plan or situation that can collapse easily.
- The term 'castelo' can sometimes evoke the concept of a 'castle in the air' in literature, similar to English, to describe an impossible or unrealistic dream.
Examples in context
- O castelo é bonito.The castle is beautiful.This sentence is useful for describing the appearance of the castelo.Tatoeba #421953 by brauliobezerra, translation #415540 by blay_paul
- Eu tenho um castelo.I have a castle.This sentence is useful for expressing possession of a castelo.Tatoeba #5933472 by Ricardo14, translation #10029343 by ddnktr
- Este castelo é bonito.This castle is beautiful.This sentence is useful for identifying a specific castelo that is beautiful.Tatoeba #421954 by brauliobezerra, translation #415554 by CK
- Ontem, visitei um castelo incrível em Sintra.Yesterday, I visited an incredible castle in Sintra.
- 78 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mariana and Rodrigo are looking at a picture in a history book.
- MarianaVeja este castelo enorme, Rodrigo!Look at this huge castle, Rodrigo!
- RodrigoÉ um castelo impressionante.It is an impressive castle.
- MarianaVocê gostaria de morar num castelo?Would you like to live in a castle?
- RodrigoNão, eu prefiro uma casa normal.No, I prefer a normal house.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “castle” translations and entries castelo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries castelo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
