alto
/ˈaw.tu/
In Portuguese, 'loud' is translated as alto.
The term alto is used to describe the volume of a sound. While it refers to volume, it is also polysemous and can mean 'high' or 'tall' when referring to physical height or pitch.
Meaning: of a sound (adj)
Which one should you use?
Note that alto can mean both 'loud' (volume) and 'high/tall' (physical height or pitch) depending on the context.
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, alto must agree in gender with the noun it modifies.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈaw.tu/
Did you know?
- If you are in a noisy place and someone shouts Alto!, they might not be telling you to speak 'loudly', but rather to 'stop' or 'halt'.
- The word alto shares the same Latin root, altus, as the English word 'altitude'.
- In many Portuguese contexts, if you want to describe a sound as 'loud' or 'noisy', you might use the adjective barulhento instead of alto.
Examples in context
- Não fala tão alto.Don't talk so loud.This sentence shows how to use alto when telling someone not to speak too loudly.Tatoeba #956379 by alexmarcelo, translation #41312 by CK
- O som é muito alto.The sound is really loud.This sentence illustrates how to describe a sound as being very loud using alto.Tatoeba #5813685 by leticiasato, translation #5812708 by AlbadeG
- Ouvi um baque alto.I heard a loud thud.This sentence demonstrates using alto to describe a loud thud.Tatoeba #12363313 by piterkeo, translation #12110943 by ddnktr
- A música está muito alta.The music is very loud.
- A sirene está estridente.The siren is loud and piercing.
- A vizinhança estava muito barulhenta ontem à noite.The neighborhood was very loud last night.
- Aquela criança é muito escandalosa.That child is very loud.
- 39 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Beatriz and Rodrigo are in a living room with music playing.
- BeatrizO som está muito alto!The sound is too loud!
- RodrigoVocê acha? Eu nem percebi.Do you think so? I didn't even notice.
- BeatrizSim, o volume está alto demais.Yes, the volume is way too loud.
- RodrigoTudo bem, eu vou abaixar agora.Alright, I will turn it down now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “loud” translations and entries alto, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries alto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
