talheres
The Portuguese word for cutlery is talheres.
talheres is used to refer to the eating and serving utensils.
Meaning: eating and serving utensils (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
While the singular form talher refers to a single piece of cutlery, the word is most commonly used in its plural form talheres to refer to a set of cutlery.
Did you know?
- The word talher shares a linguistic root with talhar, meaning 'to cut' or 'to carve', emphasizing the cutting function of knives over other utensils.
- Portuguese lacks a single common word for 'flatware' or 'silverware' that doesn't either use talheres or specifically mention the material, such as prata (silver).
- If you are in a restaurant and ask for talheres, the waiter might bring a whole set, but if you only need one specific item, it is more natural to ask for a garfo or a colher.
Examples in context
- Os talheres são guardados nessas gavetas.Cutlery is kept in these drawers.This sentence shows where talheres are typically stored.Tatoeba #13817374 by carlosalberto, translation #12182891 by CK
- Anfitriões vitorianos entretinham numa sala de estar soturna, repleta de cadeiras de madeira com padrões elaborados, tapetes espessos, enormes espelhos com rebordos dourados, talheres de prata cintilantes e mesas de ébano polidas.Victorian hosts entertained in a gloomy drawing room crowded with elaborately patterned wooden chairs, thick carpets, massive mirrors rimmed with gold, sparkling silver cutlery and polished ebony tables.This sentence describes a setting containing sparkling silver talheres.Tatoeba #12226282 by Cangarejo, translation #12226281 by Cangarejo
- O governo do estado da Nova Gales do Sul quer proibir muitos artigos de plástico comuns, incluindo palhetas, agitadores de bebidas e talheres, bem como copos de poliestireno, numa tentativa de proteger o ambiente e reduzir a quantidade de resíduos.The New South Wales state government wants to ban many common plastic items, including straws, drinks stirrers and cutlery, as well as polystyrene cups in a bid to protect the environment and reduce waste.This sentence mentions talheres in the context of a ban on common plastic items.Tatoeba #10883659 by Cangarejo, translation #10113513 by Hybrid
- Por favor, pode trazer os talheres?Please, can you bring the cutlery?
- Preciso pegar mais pratos e talheres.I need to get more plates and cutlery.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is setting the table for a dinner party.
- JulianaVocê pode colocar os talheres na mesa?Can you put the cutlery on the table?
- GabrielSim, onde estão os talheres de sobremesa?Yes, where is the dessert cutlery?
- JulianaEles estão na gaveta da cozinha.They are in the kitchen drawer.
- GabrielVou buscá-los agora mesmo.I will get them right now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry talheres, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
