orvalho
/oʁˈva.ʎu/masculine
The English word "dew" can be translated into Portuguese as orvalho or sereno.
Meaning: moisture in the air that settles on plants, etc (noun)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| orvalho | /oʁˈva.ʎu/ (Brazil) /oɾˈva.ʎu/ (São Paulo) |
masculine |
| sereno | /seˈɾẽ.nu/ (Brazil) /sɨˈɾe.nu/ (Portugal) |
masculine |
Both terms describe the moisture found in the air that settles on plants and surfaces. While orvalho specifically refers to the moisture of dew, sereno is often used colloquially to refer to a light, misty rain or the dampness of the night air.
Which one should you use?
orvalho refers specifically to the moisture of dew, whereas sereno is often used colloquially to mean a light drizzle.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, both orvalho and sereno are widely used to describe dew.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /oʁˈva.ʎu/. It has 3 syllables, and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- In Brazil, the word sereno is often used to warn someone to go inside so they do not 'catch the dew', suggesting that exposure to night dampness causes illness.
- The word sereno originates from the Latin 'serēnus', meaning 'calm', which is the same root used for the English word 'serene'.
- In some rural regions of Brazil, sereno is used as a synonym for the late evening period itself, rather than just the moisture that forms during that time.
Examples in context
- O orvalho se evaporou quando o sol nasceu.The dew evaporated when the sun rose.This sentence shows how the dew evaporates after sunrise using orvalho.Tatoeba #6606513 by bill, translation #326328 by CK
- Pela manhã, é bom tocar os pés descalços no orvalho sobre a grama.In the morning, it is good to touch barefoot the dew on the grass.This sentence describes the sensation of touching one's feet to the dew on the grass using orvalho.Tatoeba #4889023 by Rodrigopredja, translation #4889031 by Rodrigopredja
- Havia duas pérolas de orvalho na rosa recém-colhida que meu amor me deu.There were two pearls of dew in the recently cut rose my lover gave me.This sentence uses a poetic comparison of dew to pearls using orvalho.Tatoeba #10072666 by carlosalberto, translation #10072653 by espamatics
- O orvalho é uma das maravilhas da natureza.Dew is one of the wonders of nature.
- Pela manhã, o sereno cobria as plantas no jardim.In the morning, dew covered the plants in the garden.
- As folhas estavam úmidas de orvalho.The leaves were wet with dew.
- Houve muito orvalho esta manhã.There was a lot of dew this morning.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Camila and Gabriel are walking in a garden early in the morning.
- CamilaOlha como as folhas estão cobertas de orvalho.Look how the leaves are covered in dew.
- GabrielVerdade, Gabriel acha que isso refresca o jardim.True, Gabriel thinks this refreshes the garden.
- CamilaCuidado para não molhar o seu sapato no orvalho.Be careful not to get your shoe wet in the dew.
- GabrielObrigado, Camila, eu vou tomar cuidado.Thanks, Camila, I will be careful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dew” translations and entries orvalho, sereno, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries orvalho, sereno, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
