Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| menina | /miˈnĩ.nɐ/ (Brazil) /meˈnĩ.nɐ/ (Brazil) |
|
| garota | /ɡaˈɾo.tɐ/ (Brazil) /ɡɐˈɾo.tɐ/ (Portugal) |
|
| moça | /ˈmo.sɐ/ (Brazil) /ˈmo.sɐ/ (Portugal) |
|
| rapariga | /ʁa.paˈɾi.ɡɐ/ (Brazil) /ʁa.paˈɾi.ɡɐ/ (Rio de Janeiro) |
Portugal |
These terms are used to refer to a young female person. While menina is the most common and neutral term, often used for children, other forms can specify age or social context.
Which one should you use?
menina is the standard, neutral term used frequently for children. garota is a common synonym often used for adolescents or in more casual contexts. moça refers to a slightly older girl or a young woman and is frequently used as a polite way to address a young female. In European Portuguese, rapariga is used to mean girl, whereas in Brazil, this word can carry an informal or negative connotation depending on the context.
Is it said differently in some regions?
mina is a slang term for girl that originated in Brazil and is highly prevalent in Rio de Janeiro. rapariga is primarily used in European Portuguese.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the word menina plural, add -s to get meninas.
How do you pronounce it?
The word menina is pronounced /miˈnĩ.nɐ/ with 3 syllables and the stress on the 2nd syllable.
When do people say it?
In Brazil, be cautious with the word rapariga as it may be perceived negatively.
Did you know?
- In Portugal, calling a young girl a rapariga is perfectly normal, but if you use that same word in Brazil, it is often used as a derogatory term for a prostitute.
- The term rapariga has linguistic roots in the Leonese language, tracing back to the word rapiego, which was used in the Iberian Peninsula long before modern Portuguese.
- In some regions of Brazil, menina can be used as an interjection of surprise or disbelief, similar to saying 'Girl!' in English.
Examples in context
- A menina é feia.The girl is ugly.This sentence uses menina to describe a physical attribute.Tatoeba #2105913 by alexmarcelo, translation #2002541 by bichodebola
- Quem é a menina?Who is the girl?This sentence uses menina to ask for an identity.Tatoeba #5279985 by alexmarcelo, translation #5974529 by CarpeLanam
- Ela é uma menina.She's a girl.This sentence uses menina to state a person's gender or status.Tatoeba #6015069 by alexmarcelo, translation #1807853 by AlanF_US
- Eu conheci uma menina muito inteligente.I met a very smart girl.
- Essa garota é minha melhor amiga.This girl is my best friend.
- Eu adoro brincar com minha menininha.I love playing with my little girl.
- Essa mina é muito bonita.This girl is really beautiful.
- 648 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Camila and Lucas are looking at a photo of a family.
- CamilaQuem é esta menina na foto?Who is this girl in the photo?
- LucasEla é a minha prima, Camila.She is my cousin, Camila.
- CamilaA menina parece ser muito simpática.The girl seems very nice.
- LucasSim, ela é uma menina muito alegre.Yes, she is a very cheerful girl.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “girl” translations and entries menina, garota, moça, rapariga, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries garota, menina, moça, rapariga, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
