ano bissexto
/ˈɐ̃.nu biˈses.tu/masculine
The English phrase leap year is translated into Portuguese as ano bissexto.
The term refers to a year in the Julian or Gregorian calendars that includes an intercalary day added to February. The noun ano (year) is masculine.
Meaning: year in the Julian or Gregorian calendars with an intercalary day added to February (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of ano, meaning year and bissexto, meaning leap or twice-six, which refers to the historical method used to calculate the leap year.
Which one should you use?
To distinguish a leap year from a standard 365-day year, Portuguese speakers use the term ano comum.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of ano bissexto is anos bissextos, where both the noun and the adjective are pluralized.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈɐ̃.nu biˈses.tu/. It has 4 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- The adjective bissexto is derived from the Latin 'bis sextus', meaning 'twice sixth'. This refers to the ancient Roman method of doubling the sixth day before the Kalends of March to account for the extra day.
- In Portuguese, the word bissexto is used specifically for leap years and is not used as a general adjective meaning 'leap' for other contexts.
- While English describes the year as 'leaping' forward, the Portuguese ano bissexto describes the year through a mathematical duplication of a specific day.
Examples in context
- Quantos dias tem um ano bissexto?How many days are there in a leap year?This sentence is useful for asking how many days are in an ano bissexto.Tatoeba #1455398 by alexmarcelo, translation #1453842 by Eldad
- Quantos dias compreende um ano bissexto?How many days comprise a leap year?This sentence is useful for asking how many days an ano bissexto comprises.Tatoeba #2740613 by MarlonX19, translation #1454070 by LittleBoy
- Um ano bissexto tem mais um dia que um ano comum.A leap year has one day more than an ordinary year.This sentence is useful for noting that an ano bissexto has one more day than a common year.Tatoeba #7067432 by iart61, translation #11844467 by timmartin
- Este ano é bissexto, então temos um dia a mais em fevereiro.This year is a leap year, so we have an extra day in February.
- Meu aniversário só cai em um ano que tem fevereiro com vinte e nove dias.My birthday only falls on a year that has February with twenty-nine days.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing the calendar while planning a trip.
- RodrigoO próximo ano bissexto é em 2024.The next leap year is in 2024.
- CamilaIsso significa que fevereiro terá 29 dias?Does that mean February will have 29 days?
- RodrigoExatamente, Camila. É um detalhe importante.Exactly, Camila. It is an important detail.
- CamilaQue bom que você lembrou disso, Rodrigo.I am glad you remembered that, Rodrigo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “leap year” translations and entries ano bissexto, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ano, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
