fofura
/foˈfu.ɾɐ/
The Portuguese word for cutie is fofura.
fofura can refer to both the quality of being cute and to a cute person or thing. While fofura is the abstract noun for cuteness, the adjective fofinho is more commonly used as a noun to refer to a cute person or animal and the feminine form fofinha is used when referring specifically to a female person or animal.
Meaning: cute person or animal (noun)
Which one should you use?
Use fofura to describe the concept of cuteness, but use fofinho/fofinha to address or label a specific cute individual.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Portugal, the adjective giro is often used colloquially to describe someone as 'lovely' or 'cute,' and gira is the feminine form of the word giro used to describe someone as 'lovely' or 'cute.'
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun fofura is feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of fofura is /foˈfu.ɾɐ/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- The word giro in Portugal, used for 'cute,' has a completely different meaning in Brazil, where it can refer to 'turn' or 'spin'.
- The root word fofo originally describes something soft, fluffy or spongy, like a pillow or a cloud.
- In Brazil, calling someone a fofura can sometimes sound slightly patronizing or condescending, as if you are treating them like a small child or a pet.
Examples in context
- Você é tão fofo!You are so cute!
- Ela é muito fofa.She is very adorable.
- Aquele gatinho é uma fofura.That little kitten is such a cutie.
- O seu bebê é uma fofura.Your baby is a cutie.
- Que fofura esse cachorrinho!What a cutie this little dog is!
Example conversation
Mariana shows Rodrigo a photo of her new puppy.
- MarianaVeja a foto do meu cachorro novo.Look at the photo of my new dog.
- RodrigoNossa, que fofura de cachorro!Wow, what a cutie of a dog!
- MarianaEle é muito brincalhão.He is very playful.
- RodrigoQuero conhecer ele logo.I want to meet him soon.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry fofura, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
