lebre
/ˈlɛ.bɾi/feminine
The English word "hare" is translated into Portuguese as lebre. Wiktionary also lists lebrão.
Meaning: animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| lebre | /ˈlɛ.bɾi/ (Brazil) /ˈlɛ.bɾɨ/ (Portugal) |
feminine |
| lebrão | /leˈbɾɐ̃w̃/ (Brazil) /lɨˈbɾɐ̃w̃/ (Portugal) |
masculine |
The term refers to the animal known as a hare.
Which one should you use?
lebre is the feminine form, while lebrão is a masculine form used to refer to a particularly large hare.
How does it change in a sentence?
The diminutive form lebrezinha can be used to refer to a small hare or as a term of endearment.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈlɛ.bɾi/. It has two syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- While English uses 'hare' and 'rabbit' as distinct terms, in many Portuguese dialects, people might use coelho for both animals unless they are being scientifically specific.
- In some regional Portuguese dialects, lebre can be used metaphorically to describe someone who is exceptionally fast or elusive.
- In Portuguese, the suffix -ão used in lebrão does not just denote size, but can also add a sense of coarseness or unrefined strength to the animal.
Examples in context
- A lebre se escondeu atrás da árvore.The hare hid behind the tree.This sentence shows the hare hiding behind a tree.Tatoeba #1732339 by alexmarcelo, translation #65629 by shekitten
- A lebre roubou uma cenoura do jardim.The hare stole a carrot from the garden.This sentence describes a hare stealing a carrot.Tatoeba #1455382 by alexmarcelo, translation #1455022 by bpeel
- Aonde vai com tanta pressa, lebrezinha?Where are you running, little hare?This sentence uses the diminutive lebrezinha as a term of endearment.Tatoeba #5310807 by carlosalberto, translation #5288885 by Adelpa
- Na floresta, é possível encontrar diversas espécies de animais, como a lebre.In the forest, it is possible to find various animal species, such as the hare.
- Gosto de observar a lebre saltando pelos campos.I enjoy observing the hare jumping through the fields.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Juliana are looking at a wildlife book together.
- LucasEsta lebre é muito rápida.This hare is very fast.
- JulianaSim, a lebre corre muito bem.Yes, the hare runs very well.
- LucasVocê viu a lebre no campo?Did you see the hare in the field?
- JulianaEu não vi a lebre hoje.I did not see the hare today.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hare” translations and entries lebre, lebrão, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
