mentiroso
/mẽ.t͡ʃiˈɾo.zu/masculine
The Portuguese word for liar is mentiroso.
Mentiroso refers to a person who tells lies. It can function as a noun to mean 'a liar' or as an adjective to mean 'lying' or 'untruthful'.
Meaning: one who tells lies (noun)
Which one should you use?
While mentiroso is the standard term, other words are used depending on the context. Embusteiro describes someone who frequently engages in deceitful behavior. In informal settings, you might use Pinóquio for someone telling obvious lies or exaggerations or Mentira ambulante, which literally means 'walking lie', to describe someone who lies constantly and shamelessly.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Mentiroso is the standard term used in Brazil, Portugal and other Portuguese-speaking countries.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word changes based on gender and number. Use mentirosa for a feminine singular liar, mentirosos for masculine plural liars and mentirosas for feminine plural liars.
How do you pronounce it?
/mẽ.tʃiˈɾo.zu/
Did you know?
- The adjective mentiroso can be used to describe not just people, but also things like a 'mentirosa' news report or a 'mentiroso' eye that is misleading.
- The word mentiroso shares the same Latin root as the English word 'mendacious', which describes someone prone to lying.
- In many Portuguese-speaking cultures, using mentiroso in a heated argument can be seen as a direct challenge to one's integrity, rather than just a disagreement over facts.
Examples in context
- Tu és um mentiroso.You're a liar.This sentence shows how to address someone directly as a mentiroso.Tatoeba #7083312 by iart61, translation #1895634 by CK
- Eu não sou mentiroso.I'm no liar.This sentence is used to deny being a mentiroso.Tatoeba #4858990 by Ricardo14, translation #1265412 by Scott
- Ele não é um mentiroso.He's not a liar.This sentence is used to state that he is not a mentiroso.Tatoeba #1657918 by alexmarcelo, translation #1657740 by Spamster
- Não acredite nas histórias dele, ele é um verdadeiro Pinóquio!Don't believe his stories, he's a real Pinocchio!
- 60 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas is confronting Mariana about a story she told.
- LucasVocê mentiu para mim, Mariana.You lied to me, Mariana.
- MarianaEu não sou uma mentirosa!I am not a liar!
- LucasNão seja mentirosa, eu sei a verdade.Don't be a liar, I know the truth.
- MarianaVocê está sendo um mentiroso também.You are being a liar too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “liar” translations and entries mentiroso, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mentiroso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
