boa menina
/ˈbo(w).ɐ miˈnĩ.nɐ/word by word
The English phrase 'good girl' is translated into Portuguese as boa menina.
The phrase boa menina is used to praise a female child or a female pet for behaving well.
Which one should you use?
To say 'good boy' instead of 'good girl', you must switch to the masculine forms bom menino.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase must agree in gender with the female subject, using the feminine adjective boa and the feminine noun menina.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbo(w).ɐ miˈnĩ.nɐ/, 4 syllables, stressed syllable 1 of 4
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using the masculine bom with the feminine menina (e.g., *bom menina*). Both words must be feminine to be grammatically correct.
Did you know?
- The word boa is a linguistic 'chameleon' because it shares its spelling with the Portuguese word for a 'boa constrictor' snake.
- While boa menina is used for children, if you were to call an adult woman a boa menina, it could sound patronizing or condescending, as it implies she is behaving like a child.
- While boa menina is the direct translation for 'good girl', Portuguese speakers often use the word boazinha to describe a girl who is sweet, well-behaved or easy-going.
Examples in context
- Emi é uma boa menina.Emi is a good girl.This sentence is useful for stating that Emi is a boa menina.Tatoeba #1311500 by alexmarcelo, translation #65291 by CN
- Ela é uma boa menina.She's a good girl.This sentence is useful for stating that she is a boa menina.Tatoeba #3706135 by ajdavidl, translation #1991845 by Spamster
- Eu serei uma boa menina.I'll be a good girl.This sentence is useful for stating that I will be a boa menina.Tatoeba #1110846 by alexmarcelo, translation #1110488 by Scott
- Maria, você é uma boa menina por ajudar seu irmão.Maria, you are a good girl for helping your brother.
- Parabéns, Julia! Você foi uma boa garota e fez seu dever de casa.Congratulations, Julia! You were a good girl and did your homework.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mariana is praising her dog while Gabriel watches.
- MarianaSenta, Luna! Boa menina!Sit, Luna! Good girl!
- GabrielEla aprendeu rápido, não é?She learned quickly, didn't she?
- MarianaSim, ela é uma boa menina.Yes, she is a good girl.
- GabrielEla merece um petisco agora.She deserves a treat now.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (boa, menina) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
