oi bebê
/ˈoj beˈbe/word by word
oi bebê is the Portuguese way to say "hi baby".
oi bebê is an informal, affectionate greeting. It is used when addressing either a romantic partner or a small child.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈoj beˈbe/
Did you know?
- The word oi is an interjection that does not share a common history with the English 'oi', despite sounding identical. They are completely unrelated linguistic accidents.
- In Brazil, you might hear people use bebezinho instead of bebê to sound even more endearing. The addition of the diminutive suffix '-inho' makes the phrase feel much softer and more playful.
- In Portugal, using oi as a greeting can sometimes be perceived as too informal or abrupt compared to Brazilian Portuguese, where it is the most common way to say 'hi'.
Examples in context
- Oi bebê, como você está?Hi baby, how are you?
- Oi bebê, dormiu bem?Hi baby, did you sleep well?
- Oi bebê, eu cheguei!Hi baby, I'm home!
Example conversation
Mariana greets her partner Gabriel when he arrives at the house.
- MarianaOi bebê, você chegou!Hi baby, you're here!
- GabrielOi, querida. Como foi o seu dia?Hi, darling. How was your day?
- MarianaFoi cansativo, mas agora estou feliz.It was tiring, but now I am happy.
- GabrielQue bom, agora vamos descansar.That's good, now let's rest.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (oi, bebê) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries oi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
