sobrenome
/so.bɾeˈnõ.mi/
The English phrase "last name" is translated into Portuguese as sobrenome.
In Portuguese, sobrenome refers to the family name, whereas nome refers to the given name.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /so.bɾeˈnõ.mi/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- In Portuguese, the term apelido is often mistaken by learners for a 'last name' because it sounds similar to 'apellido' in Spanish. However, apelido actually means 'nickname'.
- In many Portuguese-speaking cultures, people do not have just one 'sobrenome'. It is common to carry multiple surnames from both the maternal and paternal lines, creating a long string of names.
- Many Portuguese sobrenomes are derived from nature, such as Oliveira meaning 'olive tree' or Pereira meaning 'pear tree'.
Examples in context
- Qual é seu sobrenome?What's your last name?Tatoeba #1651163 by Ricardo14, translation #2072325 by CK
- Qual é o sobrenome de Tom?What's Tom's last name?Tatoeba #6096392 by carlosalberto, translation #1886678 by CK
- Eu gosto do meu sobrenome.I like my last name.Tatoeba #10051807 by bill, translation #9132935 by CK
- 28 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Mariana are filling out forms at a registration desk.
- GabrielMariana, qual é o seu sobrenome?Mariana, what is your last name?
- MarianaÉ Silva. E o seu sobrenome, Gabriel?It is Silva. And your last name, Gabriel?
- GabrielO meu sobrenome é Oliveira.My last name is Oliveira.
- MarianaNós temos sobrenomes bem diferentes.We have very different last names.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry sobrenome, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
