veado
animal
In Brazilian Portuguese "deer" is veado for the animal. In Brazil veado is also an offensive slang word for gay men, so many people prefer cervo for a stag and cerva for a doe.
Meaning: animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | Note |
|---|---|
| veado | animal |
| Cervo | stag |
| Cerva | doe |
In zoology and nature texts veado is used normally, as in veado-campeiro for the pampas deer. In conversation Brazilians are careful with it.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Using veado in a casual setting can bring giggles or offense. Cervo is a safe word for a deer in a story or a Christmas context.
Did you know?
- Reindeer is rena in Portuguese, and the Christmas sleigh is pulled by renas.
Examples in context
- Vi um cervo na floresta.I saw a deer in the forest.
- A cerva cuida do filhote.The doe looks after her fawn.
- O veado-campeiro vive no pampa.The pampas deer lives in the pampas.
Example conversation
Professora Ana explains animals to her class in Porto Alegre, and a student asks a question. Miguel is a student.
- Professora AnaHoje vamos falar do cervo.Today we will talk about the deer.
- MiguelEle tem chifres?Does he have antlers?
- Professora AnaSim, só os machos.Yes, only the males.
