sorvete
/soʁˈve.t͡ʃi/Brazil, masculine
The English phrase ice cream is translated into Portuguese as sorvete or gelado.
Meaning: dessert (noun)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| sorvete | /soʁˈve.t͡ʃi/ (Brazil) /soɾˈve.t͡ʃi/ (São Paulo) |
Brazil, masculine |
| gelado | /ʒeˈla.du/ (Brazil) /ʒɨˈla.du/ (Portugal) |
Portugal, masculine |
Both words refer to the frozen dessert. Note that in Brazil, people often use the verb tomar to mean eating or consuming ice cream.
Which one should you use?
sorvete is the standard term used in Brazil, while gelado is used in Portugal and can also mean something that is cold or frozen.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, the standard word is sorvete. In Portugal, particularly in the northern regions, the term gelado is used frequently.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the plural, use sorvetes for the Brazilian term and gelados for the Portuguese term.
How do you pronounce it?
The word sorvete is pronounced /soʁˈve.tʃi/ and has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- The word sorvete traveled through a vast linguistic chain involving Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Italian and French before entering Portuguese.
- While 'ice cream' in English is a compound of two separate nouns, the Portuguese term gelado is technically an adjective meaning 'frozen' being used as a noun.
Examples in context
- Eu gosto de sorvete.I love ice cream.This sentence is useful for expressing a preference for sorvete.Tatoeba #1215883 by alexmarcelo, translation #740936 by CK
- Eu quero um sorvete.I want an ice cream.This sentence is useful for expressing a desire for sorvete.Tatoeba #4838344 by bill, translation #3825530 by CK
- Eu não tomo sorvete.I don't eat ice cream.This sentence is useful for stating that one does not consume sorvete.Tatoeba #9234520 by bill, translation #9231101 by CK
- Com licença, onde posso encontrar uma boa sorveteria?Excuse me, where can I find a good ice cream parlor?
- Vamos tomar sorvetinho para amenizar o calor!Let's go get some ice cream to beat the heat!
- 149 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Camila are walking past a dessert shop.
- LucasVocê quer comer um sorvete, Camila?Do you want to eat an ice cream, Camila?
- CamilaSim, eu adoraria um agora!Yes, I would love one now!
- LucasQual sabor de sorvete você prefere?Which ice cream flavor do you prefer?
- CamilaEu prefiro o de chocolate, Lucas.I prefer chocolate, Lucas.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ice cream” translations and entries sorvete, gelado, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gelado, sorvete, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
