mortal
/moʁˈtaw/
The English word 'deadly' is translated into Portuguese using several forms, the default being mortal. Wiktionary also lists fatal and letal.
Meaning: lethal (adj)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA |
|---|---|
| mortal | /moʁˈtaw/ (Brazil) /moɾˈtaw/ (São Paulo) |
| fatal | /faˈtaw/ (Brazil) /fɐˈtal/ (Portugal) |
| letal | /leˈtaw/ (Brazil) /lɨˈtal/ (Portugal) |
| mortífero | /moʁˈt͡ʃi.fe.ɾu/ (Brazil) /moɾˈt͡ʃi.fe.ɾu/ (São Paulo) |
| fatífero | /faˈt͡ʃi.fe.ɾu/ (Brazil) /fɐˈti.fɨ.ɾu/ (Portugal) |
Which one should you use?
Letal is used primarily in scientific, medical or technical contexts to describe the capacity of a substance or dose to cause death. Mortífero is a more literary or dramatic way to describe something that causes death, such as a 'mortífero veneno' (deadly poison). Fatal is a formal option used in specialized contexts like medicine or toxicology.
How do you pronounce it?
/moʁˈtaw/
Did you know?
- Portuguese uses mortal to describe a specific type of acrobatic flip, the salto mortal, which translates literally to a 'mortal jump'.
- In Portuguese, the word fatal often carries the nuance of 'inevitable' or 'destined' rather than just 'deadly'. This stems from its Latin root related to 'fate'.
- The word mortífero is a linguistic mirror of the Ancient Greek word 'thanatophoros', meaning 'death-bearing'. It functions as a direct structural translation of the Greek concept into Latin-based Portuguese.
Examples in context
- O coronavírus é um vírus mortal.The coronavirus is a deadly virus.This sentence shows how to describe a virus as mortal.Tatoeba #8626492 by bill, translation #8620854 by Amastan
- Sami estava envolvida em uma disputa mortal de gangue.Sami was involved in a deadly gang dispute.This sentence uses mortal to describe a dispute.Tatoeba #8138562 by lucasdcs, translation #6709240 by OsoHombre
- O mito de que as pessoas que falam sobre suicídio nunca cumprem é mortal.The myth that people who talk about suicide never follow through is deadly.This sentence uses mortal to describe a myth.Tatoeba #11501820 by omniglotman, translation #11501817 by shekitten
- A letalidade do vírus é alarmante.The deadliness of the virus is alarming.
- O veneno é fatal para animais de pequeno porte.The poison is deadly to small animals.
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Juliana and Rodrigo are discussing a dangerous animal at a zoo.
- JulianaVocê sabia que essa cobra é mortal?Did you know that this snake is deadly?
- RodrigoSério? O veneno dela age rápido?Really? Does its venom act fast?
- JulianaSim, um único ataque pode ser mortal.Yes, a single attack can be deadly.
- RodrigoVou manter distância do vidro, então.I'll keep my distance from the glass, then.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “deadly” translations and entries mortal, fatal, letal, mortífero, fatífero, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fatal, letal, mortal, mortífero, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
