Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| aterragem | /a.teˈʁa.ʒẽj̃/ (Brazil) /a.teˈʁa.ʒẽj̃/ (Rio de Janeiro) /ɐ.tɨˈʁa.ʒɐ̃j̃/ (Portugal) |
|
| pouso | /ˈpo(w).zu/ (Brazil) /ˈpo(w).zu/ (Portugal) /ˈpow.zu/ (Northern, Portugal) /ˈpo.zu/ (Portugal, Southern) |
masculine |
The term refers to the act of coming to a surface, such as an airplane touching down. For specific infrastructure like a landing strip or runway, use the phrase pista de pouso.
Which one should you use?
While pouso is a common and generic term, aterragem is the standard term used in European Portuguese. In Brazil, pouso is more frequent, though aterrissagem is the Brazilian equivalent of pouso and can also be used in Portugal.
Is it said differently in some regions?
aterragem is a term specifically used in Portugal. In Brazil, pouso is more common, although aterrissagem is also used in Brazil and can be used in Portugal.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun pouso is derived from the verb pousar, which means to land or to settle.
How do you pronounce it?
The word pouso is pronounced /ˈpo(w).zu/. It has two syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- While pouso is used for airplanes, the verb pousar is also used in art to mean 'to pose' for a painting or photograph.
- In Brazil, the word pouso also refers to a temporary stop or overnight stay during a long journey.
- The word pousar shares a semantic space with 'settling down' or 'resting' in a non-technical sense. In a poetic context, a person might 'pousar' their gaze on something, meaning to fix their eyes upon it.
Examples in context
- O avião pousou em segurança.The airplane made a safe landing.This sentence shows the use of pouso regarding a safe landing.Tatoeba #3877641 by muriloricci, translation #318103 by CK
- O novo aeroporto terá seis pistas de pouso.The new airport will have six landing strips.This sentence uses pouso in the phrase for a landing strip.Tatoeba #8251891 by JGEN, translation #8028792 by AlanF_US
- O pouso na lua foi uma conquista monumental.The moon landing was a monumental achievement.This sentence uses pouso to describe the moon landing.Tatoeba #11033418 by eclair, translation #238850 by CM
- O avião iniciou seu pouso no aeroporto internacional.The airplane started its landing at the international airport.
- A aterragem foi suave e tranquila.The landing was smooth and peaceful.
- A aterrissagem ocorreu às 10 horas da manhã.The landing occurred at 10 o'clock in the morning.
- Quando aconteceu a chegada do avião?When did the plane land?
- Os aviões pousaram suavemente.The planes landed smoothly.
- Aterragem de emergênciaEmergency landing
- Eu preciso preparar-me para a aterragem.I need to prepare myself for landing.
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Juliana are at the airport waiting for a flight.
- GabrielO pouso foi suave?Was the landing smooth?
- JulianaSim, o pouso foi perfeito.Yes, the landing was perfect.
- GabrielQue bom que você chegou bem.I'm glad you arrived safely.
- JulianaObrigada, Gabriel.Thank you, Gabriel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “landing” translations and entries aterragem, pouso, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
