feliz
/feˈlis/
The Portuguese word for happy is feliz.
feliz is used to describe someone or something that is feeling contented or joyous.
Meaning: contented, joyous (adj)
Which one should you use?
While feliz is the standard term, you may encounter Radiante to emphasize extreme happiness or sheer delight. For playful or informal expressions of great happiness, you can use Felizão or Felizona or use Contentão or Contentona to convey extreme happiness and contentment.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective feliz is invariable for gender, so it remains the same whether describing a masculine or feminine noun. To make the word plural, use felizes.
How do you pronounce it?
/feˈlis/
Did you know?
- The word feliz actually shares an ancient root with the English word 'suckling' or 'suck', derived from the idea of being well-nourished.
- While English uses 'happy birthday', Portuguese uses parabéns, which literally translates to 'congratulations'.
- In Brazil, you might hear the phrase estou feliz da vida, which literally means 'I am happy of the life' to express overwhelming joy.
Examples in context
- O gato é feliz.The cat is happy.This sentence shows how to use feliz to describe a cat.Tatoeba #5261925 by carlosalberto, translation #5259669 by phoonaz
- Ela o fez feliz.She made him happy.This sentence shows how to use feliz to describe a person's state.Tatoeba #973430 by alexmarcelo, translation #316501 by CK
- Eu era feliz lá.I was happy there.This sentence shows how to use feliz to describe a past state.Tatoeba #4933860 by Ricardo14, translation #4929262 by Andrew_B
- Estou feliz por te ver novamente.I'm happy to see you again.
- Tenho alegria em trabalhar neste projeto.I have joy in working on this project.
- O resultado foi radiante, todos estão felizes.The outcome was brilliant, everyone is happy.
- Fiquei contente com a notícia que me deu.I was pleased with the news you gave me.
- 1297 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Camila are meeting for coffee in a cafe.
- LucasOi Camila, você parece muito feliz!Hi Camila, you look very happy!
- CamilaSim, Lucas, estou muito feliz com meu novo emprego.Yes, Lucas, I am very happy with my new job.
- LucasQue bom! Fico feliz por você.That's great! I'm happy for you.
- CamilaObrigada, você é um ótimo amigo.Thank you, you are a great friend.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happy” translations and entries feliz, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries feliz, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
