gentil
/ʒẽˈt͡ʃiw/
The Portuguese word for kind is gentil.
gentil is used to describe someone who is benevolent, courteous, friendly or generous.
Meaning: benevolent, courteous, friendly, generous (adj)
Which one should you use?
While gentil describes a person's kind or courteous nature, it is distinct from the concept of being 'gentle' in the sense of being soft or delicate. For those nuances, Portuguese speakers more commonly use suave or delicado.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective gentil is invariable in gender, so it remains the same regardless of whether the subject is masculine or feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʒẽˈtʃiw/
Did you know?
- In Brazil, muito gentil is frequently used as a polite way to decline an offer, similar to saying 'that is very kind of you' in English.
- The word gentil shares the same Latin root as the English word 'gentle', but it specifically traces back to the concept of belonging to the same 'clan' or 'tribe'.
- The expression ser gentil can sometimes imply a level of formality or distance, unlike ser bondoso which implies a closer, warmer heart.
Examples in context
- O rapaz é gentil.The boy is kind.This sentence shows how to describe a person's character using gentil.Tatoeba #968677 by alexmarcelo, translation #46327 by CK
- Isso é tão gentil.That's so kind.This sentence illustrates how to use gentil to describe an action or thing.Tatoeba #8076047 by MacGyver, translation #2257399 by CK
- Como você é gentil!How kind you are!This sentence demonstrates how to express admiration for someone's kindness using gentil.Tatoeba #393603 by brauliobezerra, translation #16443 by Zifre
- Ela é muito gentil.She is very kind.
- Ele foi amável e me ajudou muito.He was kind and helped me a lot.
- Ele é muito legal com os amigos.He is very kind to his friends.
- O professor é bastante bacana.The teacher is very kind.
- Muito obrigado pela sua gentileza.Thank you very much for your kindness.
- 108 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Juliana thanks Felipe for helping her with a heavy box.
- JulianaObrigada por me ajudar, Felipe.Thank you for helping me, Felipe.
- FelipeNão foi nada, Juliana.It was nothing, Juliana.
- JulianaVocê é muito gentil.You are very kind.
- FelipeEu fico feliz em ajudar.I am happy to help.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry gentil, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gentil, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
