fones de ouvido
masculine, plural
The Portuguese word for earphones is fones de ouvido. Wiktionary also lists fones and auriculares.
Meaning: small speakers worn over the ears (noun)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| fones de ouvido | masculine, plural | |
| fones | masculine, plural | |
| auriculares | /aw.ɾi.kuˈla.ɾis/ (Brazil) /aw.ɾi.kuˈla.ɾiʃ/ (Rio de Janeiro) |
masculine, plural |
The term refers to small speakers worn over the ears. Fones de ouvido is the most common general term for both small in-ear earphones and larger over-ear headphones.
Which one should you use?
In casual conversation, Brazilians often shorten 'fones de ouvido' to just fones.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Fones is an informal shortening used in casual conversation, particularly in Brazil.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Auriculares is a term often used in Portugal.
How does it change in a sentence?
While the plural fones de ouvido is standard for a pair, the singular fone de ouvido is used when referring to a single earbud or a single unit.
Did you know?
- In Brazil, if you ask someone for a fone, they might think you are asking for a telephone rather than earphones, as the word is a shortening of both telefone and fones de ouvido.
- While fones is used for earphones, the word for the act of listening is ouvir, making the phrase fones de ouvido literally 'phones of hearing'.
- The term auriculares used in Portugal is a cognate of the English 'auricular', relating to the Latin 'auris' for ear.
Examples in context
- Estes fones de ouvido não funcionam.These earphones don't work.This sentence is useful for saying that your fones do not work.Tatoeba #4609466 by KimiP, translation #61323 by CK
- Posso pegar os seus fones de ouvido emprestados?Can I borrow your earphones?This sentence is useful for asking to borrow someone's fones.Tatoeba #1926734 by alexmarcelo, translation #8835252 by deniko
- "Eu estou em choque porque eu acho que eu perdi um dos meus fones de ouvido." "Provavelmente você deve tê-los conectado antes." "Mas então qual é o sentido deles serem sem fio?""I'm in shock because I think that I have lost one of my earphones." "You should have probably linked them together beforehand." "But then what's the point of them being wireless?"This sentence shows a conversation about losing one of a pair of fones.Tatoeba #10121521 by lucasdcs, translation #10121449 by tsp_2
- Eu preciso comprar novos auscultadores para o meu telefone.I need to buy new earphones for my phone.
- Onde estão meus fones de ouvido? Quero ouvir música agora.Where are my earphones? I want to listen to music now.
- Os meus auscultadores/fones de ouvido são de alta qualidade.My earphones are of high quality.
Example conversation
Juliana and Felipe are at a coffee shop.
- JulianaVocê viu os meus fones de ouvido?Have you seen my earphones?
- FelipeAcho que estão na sua mochila, Juliana.I think they are in your backpack, Juliana.
- JulianaAh, encontrei os fones de ouvido aqui!Ah, I found the earphones here!
- FelipeQue bom que você achou.It is good that you found them.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “earphones” translations and entries fones de ouvido, fones, auriculares, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
