homem
/ˈõ.mẽj̃/masculine
The English word 'man' is translated into Portuguese as homem. Wiktionary also lists varão and mane.
Meaning: adult male human (noun)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| homem | /ˈõ.mẽj̃/ (Brazil) /ˈɔ.mẽj̃/ (São Paulo) |
masculine |
| varão | /vaˈɾɐ̃w̃/ (Brazil) /vɐˈɾɐ̃w̃/ (Portugal) |
literary, masculine, poetic |
| mane | Timor Leste, masculine |
The primary way to refer to an adult male human is with the noun homem. For example, if you want to refer to a 'dude' or 'guy' colloquially, you might use cara.
Which one should you use?
The term homem is the standard noun for a man, which contrasts with mulher, the word for a woman. For more stylized or artistic contexts, you may see varão.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Timor-Leste, the word mane is used to refer to a man. In Angola, the term chaval is commonly used to refer to a young man or 'lad'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of homem is homens.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈõ.mẽj̃/. It has two syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- In Brazil, calling someone homem! as an exclamation can be used by anyone, regardless of gender, to express disbelief or shock.
- The word cara, used for 'guy', literally means 'face'.
- The word homem shares an ancient root with the English word 'human', stemming from a Proto-Indo-European word meaning 'earthling'.
Examples in context
- O homem é alto.The man is tall.This sentence is useful for describing the height of a man using homem.Tatoeba #2984108 by alexmarcelo, translation #2983752 by ToxicFriu
- O homem é água.Man is water.This sentence uses homem in a metaphorical or proverbial context.Tatoeba #4372406 by ajdavidl, translation #3763308 by cromwellt
- O homem é velho.The man is old.This sentence is useful for describing the age of a man using homem.Tatoeba #1567942 by alexmarcelo, translation #1174867 by CK
- Desculpe-me, senhor, você sabe onde fica a estação de trem?Excuse me, sir, do you know where the train station is?
- E aí, cara? Tudo bem?Hey, dude! How's it going?
- Esse rapaz é muito talentoso no violão.That lad is very talented on the guitar.
- Esse homem é um ótimo cozinheiro.That man is a great cook.
- E aí, bicho? Como vão as coisas?Hey, dude! How are things going?
- Esse chaval tem muita energia.That lad has a lot of energy.
- 1230 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mariana is asking Felipe about someone he saw at the store.
- FelipeEu vi um homem estranho na loja.I saw a strange man at the store.
- MarianaComo era esse homem?What was that man like?
- FelipeEle era um homem muito baixo.He was a very short man.
- MarianaNão conheço nenhum homem assim.I don't know any man like that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “man” translations and entries homem, varão, mane, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries homem, varão, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
