Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| de ouro | /d͡ʒi ˈo(w).ɾu/ (Brazil, word by word) | |
| áureo | /ˈaw.ɾju/ (Brazil) /ˈaw.ɾju/ (Portugal) |
masculine |
In Portuguese, ouro is the masculine noun for the metal itself. To describe an object as being made of gold, use the phrase de ouro. This phrase can also be used metaphorically to describe something exceptionally good, such as having a heart of gold (um coração de ouro).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase de ouro is composed of the preposition de (of/from) and the noun ouro (gold).
Which one should you use?
de ouro is the standard way to express that a physical object is made of the metal. In contrast, áureo is an adjective used to describe things that are golden in color or to describe metaphorical 'golden' eras, such as a golden age.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, the expression ouro mesmo is used to mean 'real gold' or 'actual gold'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective áureo must agree in gender with the noun it modifies. It becomes áurea when modifying a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /dʒi ˈo(w).ɾu/. It has 3 syllables, and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- In Portuguese, the word ouro comes from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'glow'.
- In Brazil, referring to something as ouro can be a slang way to describe a person who is extremely reliable or a 'gem' of a human being.
- The word ouro is a direct descendant of the Latin word aurum, which is the source of the English word 'auric' used in chemistry.
Examples in context
- É de ouro puro?Is it fine gold?This example is useful for asking if gold is pure when using de ouro.Tatoeba #4777628 by carlosalberto, translation #42325 by Lumi
- Este cálice é de ouro.This goblet is made of gold.This example shows how to describe an object made of gold using de ouro.Tatoeba #4599423 by KimiP, translation #674448 by yessoos
- O anel é de ouro puro.The ring is made of pure gold.Tatoeba #8191766 by carlosalberto, translation #9855499 by DJ_Saidez
- A empresa possui uma grande coleção de joias em ouro.The company has a large collection of gold jewelry.
- Comprei esses brincos de ouro em pó em uma feira hippie.I bought these gold dust earrings at a hippie market.
- Essa medalha é de ouro ou apenas dourada?Is this medal made of gold or just gold-colored?
- Essa aliança é de ouro mesmo?Is this wedding ring made of real gold?
- 69 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Juliana and Felipe are at a jewelry store.
- JulianaFelipe, olhe este colar de ouro!Felipe, look at this gold necklace!
- FelipeÉ lindo, Juliana. É de ouro?It is beautiful, Juliana. Is it gold?
- JulianaSim, o vendedor disse que é de ouro.Yes, the salesman said it is gold.
- FelipeEntão combina muito com você.Then it suits you very well.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gold” translations and entries de ouro, áureo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (de, ouro) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, ouro, áureo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
