olá irmão
/oˈla iʁˈmɐ̃w̃/word by word
In Portuguese, "hello brother" is translated as olá irmão.
The phrase is a friendly greeting used when speaking to a male sibling or a close male friend. Just like in English, the word irmão can be used literally for a biological brother or figuratively to refer to a very close male friend.
Which one should you use?
To address a female sibling or friend, you must change the masculine irmão to the feminine irmã in the phrase olá irmã.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Oi, irmão is a common and casual way to greet someone and e aí, irmão is a relaxed way to say "hello brother" that is similar to "What's up, bro?"
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, the phrase E aí, mano is a common casual way to greet someone as "hello brother".
How do you pronounce it?
/oˈla iʁˈmɐ̃w̃/
Did you know?
- The word irmão shares an ancient root with the English word 'germinate', as both stem from a word meaning 'to sprout' or 'to bud'.
- In Brazil, mano is such a pervasive term for 'bro' that it is often used as a filler word or a punctuation mark in sentences, regardless of whether the speaker is actually addressing a friend.
- In various Brazilian urban dialects, the use of mano has evolved beyond gender, and it is occasionally used in very informal settings to address people regardless of their biological sex.
Example conversation
Gabriel arrives at his sister's house for a visit.
- GabrielOlá irmão!Hello brother!
- JulianaOi Gabriel, entra!Hi Gabriel, come in!
- GabrielTudo bem com você?Is everything okay with you?
- JulianaSim, está tudo ótimo.Yes, everything is great.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (olá, irmão) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries irmão, olá, CC BY-SA 4.0.
