Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| aborto espontâneo | /aˈboʁ.tu is.põˈtɐ̃.nju/ (Brazil, word by word) | masculine |
| aborto | /aˈboʁ.tu/ (Brazil) /aˈboɾ.tu/ (São Paulo) |
masculine |
In Portuguese, the term refers to the natural termination of a pregnancy. While the word aborto can describe both a miscarriage and a clinical or induced abortion, using aborto espontâneo clarifies that the event happened naturally.
What does it mean word for word?
In the phrase aborto espontâneo, the word espontâneo literally means 'spontaneous', indicating the event happened naturally without intervention.
Which one should you use?
Aborto is a general term for abortion and can be used in medical or legal contexts to refer to both miscarriages and induced abortions. To specifically denote a miscarriage, use aborto espontâneo.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the experience of having a miscarriage, Portuguese speakers typically use the verb sofrer (to suffer) or ter (to have), such as in the phrase sofrer um aborto espontâneo. The verb abortar can be used to mean miscarrying, but it is also the standard verb for an induced abortion.
Did you know?
- In a legal context in Brazil, aborto is categorized as a crime, which makes the adjective espontâneo critical for clarifying that no law was broken.
- In Portuguese, the verb abortar is used for any failed project or mission that is canceled before completion, not just for pregnancies.
- In some Portuguese dialects, the word aborto can be used as a slang insult to describe something that is deformed or a complete failure.
Examples in context
- Layla fingiu sofrer um aborto espontâneo.Layla faked a miscarriage.This sentence shows how to use the word aborto to describe faking a miscarriage.Tatoeba #8826019 by RochaAr, translation #6178316 by OsoHombre
- Eu sofri um aborto espontâneo ano passado.I had a miscarriage last year.This sentence uses aborto to describe having a miscarriage in the past.Tatoeba #8826022 by RochaAr, translation #19408 by shekitten
- Minha amiga abortou e eu não sei como a confortar.My friend had a miscarriage and I don't know how to comfort her.This sentence uses a form of the word aborto to describe the experience of miscarrying.Tatoeba #3220810 by carlosalberto, translation #3214876 by Dreamk33
- Infelizmente, ela sofreu um aborto espontâneo.Unfortunately, she had a miscarriage.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is talking privately at home about a difficult loss.
- MarianaEu ainda estou muito triste pelo aborto espontâneo.I am still very sad about the miscarriage.
- LucasEu sinto muito, Mariana, eu estou aqui para você.I am so sorry, Mariana, I am here for you.
- MarianaObrigada por ser tão compreensivo comigo.Thank you for being so understanding with me.
- LucasNós vamos superar isso juntos, meu amor.We will get through this together, my love.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “miscarriage” translations and entries aborto espontâneo, aborto, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (aborto, espontâneo) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
