luva
/ˈlu.vɐ/feminine
The English word glove is translated into Portuguese as luva.
luva is a feminine noun used for an item of clothing. You can use the idiom servir como uma luva to express the English concept of 'to fit like a glove'.
Meaning: item of clothing (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, you might hear the phrase luvas de proteção to refer to protective gloves.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of luva is luvas. The term porta-luvas is used specifically to refer to a glove compartment in a car.
How do you pronounce it?
luva is pronounced /ˈlu.vɐ/. It has two syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- In Portuguese legal and real estate terms, luvas refers to a 'key money' payment made by a tenant to a landlord to secure a commercial lease.
- In Portuguese, the expression com luvas de pelica describes someone who handles a delicate situation with extreme caution and diplomacy.
- The word luva shares a common ancestor with the English word 'loaf', which originally referred to a lump or a piece of something, and the Gothic word for 'palm'.
Examples in context
- Você olhou no porta-luvas?Have you looked in the glove compartment?This sentence is useful for asking about the luva in a car's glove compartment.Tatoeba #2978074 by alexmarcelo, translation #2978062 by CK
- Onde está minha outra luva?Where's my other glove?This sentence is useful for asking about the location of another luva.Tatoeba #9198900 by carlosalberto, translation #9249126 by DJ_Saidez
- Esse vestido lhe serve como uma luva.This dress fits you like a glove.This sentence uses the idiom with luva to describe how a dress fits.Tatoeba #5466212 by ToinhoAlam, translation #3399634 by Hybrid
- Eu preciso comprar uma luva nova.I need to buy a new glove.
- Você poderia me emprestar um par de luvas?Could you lend me a pair of gloves?
- Comprei uma luvinha de lã para o inverno.I bought a little woolen glove for the winter.
- Onde posso comprar uma luva de inverno por aqui?Where can I buy a winter glove around here?
- Vou comprar umas manoplas para andar de moto no inverno.I'm going to buy some gloves for motorcycle riding during the winter.
- Onde posso encontrar luvas de proteção na loja de materiais de construção?Where can I find protective gloves in the hardware store?
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Juliana and Gabriel are preparing to go out in the cold.
- JulianaGabriel, você viu minha luva azul?Gabriel, did you see my blue glove?
- GabrielNão vi, Juliana. Está no seu casaco?I didn't see it, Juliana. Is it in your coat?
- JulianaAcho que deixei a luva em cima da mesa.I think I left the glove on the table.
- GabrielAchei! Ela estava aqui embaixo.Found it! It was down here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “glove” translations and entries luva, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries luva, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
