(muito) quente
/ˈmũj̃.tu ˈkẽ.t͡ʃi/word by word
The English phrase "hot" is translated into Portuguese as (muito) quente.
Quente is the most general term for "hot" in Portuguese. While quente describes general high temperatures, you may use escaldante to emphasize extreme, scorching or boiling heat. In formal writing, the word abrasador can be used to convey a sense of intense, burning or searing temperatures.
Meaning: having a high temperature (adj)
Which one should you use?
When describing a temporary state, such as food or the current weather, you should use the verb estar (to be) with the adjective, forming estar quente.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Northeastern Region of Brazil, the word arretado can be used to describe extreme or blazing hot heat.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form is quentes.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈmũj̃.tu ˈkẽ.tʃi/ (4 syllables, stress on the 1st syllable)
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use quente to mean "sexy" or "attractive." In Portuguese, quente refers to temperature or a "hot" topic. To describe an attractive person, use gato or gata instead. Additionally, do not use quente to say a person feels hot. Instead, use the phrase estar com calor to express the sensation of heat.
Did you know?
- To say you feel hot, you do not use the adjective quente, but the phrase estar com calor, which literally means 'to be with heat'.
- In the Northeast of Brazil, the word arretado can mean 'blazing hot', but it is also used as a general slang term for 'awesome' or 'tough'.
- In Brazil, describing a person as gato or gata (literally 'cat') is the standard way to say they are 'hot' or attractive.
Examples in context
- Está muito quente hojeIt's very hot today
- A água está quenteThe water is hot
- O clima está escaldante este verãoThe weather is scorching this summer
- O sol abrasador castigou a cidadeThe scorching sun punished the city
- O pão está quentinhoThe bread is warm
- Estou calorento hojeI'm feeling hot today
- Está um forno lá foraIt's like an oven outside
- Está arretado de quente hojeIt's blazing hot today
- O verão aqui é tórridoThe summer here is scorching
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hot” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (muito, quente) and can differ in connected speech.
