amante
/aˈmɐ̃.t͡ʃi/feminine, masculine
The Portuguese word for lover is amante.
amante refers to a sexual partner. In modern Portuguese, it almost always implies a sexual partner in an extramarital or non-committed relationship and often carries the connotation of an affair.
Meaning: sexual partner (noun)
Which one should you use?
While amante implies a sexual partner often involved in an affair, you should use namorado or namorada to refer to a committed romantic partner, such as a boyfriend or girlfriend.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word amante is common to both masculine and feminine genders. Its specific gender is determined by the article or adjective used with it.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable. The IPA is /aˈmɐ̃.tʃi/.
Did you know?
- In Portuguese, the word amante can also describe a passionate enthusiast of a specific hobby or art, such as an amante da música or 'lover of music'.
- While amante is the direct translation for 'lover', Portuguese speakers often use the phrase caso meaning 'case' to describe an illicit affair, as in ter um caso.
- While amante usually refers to an affair today, in classical Portuguese literature and poetry, it was used simply to describe any person in love, regardless of the relationship's legality.
Examples in context
- O Tom é o amante da Mary.Tom is Mary's lover.This sentence is useful for showing how to identify someone as a lover using the form amante.Tatoeba #2668875 by alexmarcelo, translation #2667378 by meerkat
- A minha amante não me ama.My lover doesn't love me.This sentence illustrates a situation involving the form amante.Tatoeba #7060618 by iart61, translation #759678 by Martha
- Muita gente quer ter um bom amante.Many people want to have a good lover.This sentence shows a general desire regarding the form amante.Tatoeba #13724526 by carlosalberto, translation #13724568 by carlosalberto
- Ele encontra-se com a amante todas as quartas-feiras.He meets with his lover every Wednesday
- Eles são ficantes há alguns meses.They have been dating casually for a few months
- 18 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Juliana and Rodrigo are talking about a character in a book.
- RodrigoVocê já leu este livro?Have you read this book?
- JulianaAinda não, do que ele fala?Not yet, what is it about?
- RodrigoA história foca no amante da rainha.The story focuses on the queen's lover.
- JulianaParece uma história muito dramática.It sounds like a very dramatic story.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lover” translations and entries amante, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
