história
/isˈtɔ.ɾjɐ/feminine
The English word 'history' is história in Portuguese.
história is a feminine noun referring to the branch of knowledge that studies the past. It is also used to mean a 'story' or 'tale'.
Meaning: branch of knowledge that studies the past (noun)
Which one should you use?
While it means the academic discipline of 'history', the word história is also the word used for a 'story' or 'tale'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of história is histórias.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /isˈtɔ.ɾjɐ/. It has 3 syllables, and the stress is on the 2nd of 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- When a Portuguese speaker says que história é essa?, they are usually not asking about a historical event but are expressing disbelief or asking 'What is this nonsense?'
- While história is the standard word for both 'history' and 'story', some Brazilian writers use the variant estória to specifically refer to a fictional tale.
- A person might say Não me venhas com histórias to mean 'Don't give me those stories', which is a common way to tell someone you do not believe their excuses.
Examples in context
- A história se repete.History repeats itself.This sentence shows how to say 'History repeats itself' using história.Tatoeba #734748 by brauliobezerra, translation #326126 by CK
- Eu gosto de história.I like history.This sentence is useful for expressing 'I like history' using história.Tatoeba #1229762 by alexmarcelo, translation #262257 by CK
- Ele nos ensina história.He teaches us history.This sentence demonstrates the phrase 'He teaches us history' using história.Tatoeba #901097 by alexmarcelo, translation #298191 by CK
- A história do Brasil é rica e complexa.The history of Brazil is rich and complex.
- Gosto de estudar história antiga, especialmente a Grécia e Roma.I enjoy studying ancient history, especially Greece and Rome.
- Na história moderna, a Revolução Industrial teve um papel crucial.In modern history, the Industrial Revolution played a crucial role.
- Você conhece a cidade? Tem uma história interessante.Do you know the city? It has an interesting history.
- Esse museu é muito interessante. Tem um histórico fascinante.This museum is very interesting. It has a fascinating history.
- Vamos explorar o passado histórico desta cidade encantadora.Let's explore the historic past of this enchanting city.
- 265 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Beatriz are discussing their university subjects.
- LucasBeatriz, qual é a sua matéria favorita?Beatriz, what is your favorite subject?
- BeatrizEu amo história, e você?I love history, and you?
- LucasEu prefiro geografia.I prefer geography.
- BeatrizA história é muito importante para entender o mundo.History is very important to understand the world.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “history” translations and entries história, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
