madrinha
/maˈdɾĩ.ɲɐ/feminine
The English phrase 'godmother' is translated into Portuguese as madrinha. Wiktionary also lists comadre.
Meaning: woman present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner (noun)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| madrinha | /maˈdɾĩ.ɲɐ/ (Brazil) /mɐˈdɾi.ɲɐ/ (Portugal) |
feminine |
| comadre | /koˈma.dɾi/ (Brazil) /kuˈma.dɾi/ (Brazil) |
feminine |
A godmother is a woman present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner. To specify that the role is specifically for a christening, you can use the phrase madrinha de batismo.
Which one should you use?
Use madrinha to refer to the specific role of a godmother in a religious or formal context. In some regions, comadre can be used as an informal way to refer to a godmother or a close friend of one's mother.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, dinda is a popular and endearing term for godmother. However, in Portugal, dinda is not commonly used.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both madrinha and comadre are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /maˈdɾĩ.ɲɐ/. It has 3 syllables, and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- In many Portuguese-speaking communities, the bond of comadrio creates a social contract of mutual support that can be stronger than blood ties.
- The term madrinha is also used in Portuguese to describe a woman who sponsors a child or a cause through a charity program.
- The word comadre comes from the Late Latin commāter, which literally means 'co-mother'.
Examples in context
- Ela é minha madrinha.She's my godmother.This sentence is useful for saying she is my godmother using madrinha.Tatoeba #988852 by alexmarcelo, translation #981804 by CK
- A madrinha fez um bolo delicioso.The godmother baked a delicious cake.This sentence is useful for describing an action by the godmother using madrinha.Tatoeba #1148471 by alexmarcelo, translation #818046 by Cindrogriza
- Ela me batizou. É minha madrinha.She baptized me. She's my godmother.This sentence is useful for explaining the relationship of being baptized by a godmother using madrinha.Tatoeba #9978689 by carlosalberto, translation #9978391 by ddnktr
- Esta é a minha madrinhaThis is my godmother
- Minha dinda é a melhor do mundoMy godmother is the best in the world
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Juliana and Lucas are talking about a family wedding.
- JulianaLucas, você sabe se ela será a madrinha?Lucas, do you know if she will be the godmother?
- LucasSim, ela aceitou o convite hoje.Yes, she accepted the invitation today.
- JulianaQue bom! Ela é uma madrinha incrível.That's great! She is an amazing godmother.
- LucasCom certeza, Juliana, ela é muito especial.For sure, Juliana, she is very special.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “godmother” translations and entries madrinha, comadre, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries comadre, madrinha, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
