mal-entendido
/ma.l‿ẽ.tẽˈd͡ʒi.du/masculine
The English phrase 'misunderstanding' can be translated into Portuguese as mal-entendido. If unsure, use mal-entendido. Wiktionary also lists confusão.
Meaning: mistake (noun)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| mal-entendido | /ma.l‿ẽ.tẽˈd͡ʒi.du/ (Brazil) /ˌmaw.ẽ.tẽˈd͡ʒi.du/ (Brazil) |
masculine |
| confusão | /kõ.fuˈzɐ̃w̃/ (Brazil) /kõ.fuˈzɐ̃w̃/ (Portugal) |
feminine |
The term is used to describe a mistake.
What does it mean word for word?
The word mal-entendido is a compound of mal (badly) and entendido (understood).
Which one should you use?
Use mal-entendido when referring to a specific communicative error or a mistake in interpretation. In contrast, use confusão when the misunderstanding has resulted in a state of chaos, disorder or a heated argument.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of mal-entendido is mal-entendidos. The plural form of confusão is confusões.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ma.l‿ẽ.tẽˈdʒi.du/. It has 5 syllables and the stress is on the 4th syllable.
Did you know?
- While confusão means 'misunderstanding', it is frequently used to describe a loud public brawl or a physical fight in Brazilian Portuguese.
- The word confusão is derived from the Latin cōnfūsiōnem, which traces back to the Proto-Indo-European root *ǵʰew-, meaning to pour.
- Unlike in English, where 'confusion' is often a feeling, confusão in Portuguese can be treated as a concrete event that one 'enters' or 'leaves'.
Examples in context
- Deve ser um mal-entendido.There must be a misunderstanding.This sentence is useful for expressing that something might be a mal-entendido.Tatoeba #1694120 by alexmarcelo, translation #1687612 by Spamster
- É tudo um grande mal-entendido.This is all a big misunderstanding.This sentence is useful for describing a situation as a big mal-entendido.Tatoeba #1491756 by alexmarcelo, translation #1491280 by Spamster
- O que houve foi um mal-entendido.What happened was a misunderstanding.This sentence is useful for explaining that what occurred was a mal-entendido.Tatoeba #4939984 by alexmarcelo, translation #4937818 by CK
- Houve um mal-entendido entre nós.There was a misunderstanding between us.
- Gostaria de esclarecer esse desentendimento.I would like to clarify this misunderstanding.
- Desculpe pela confusão, eu entendi errado.Sorry for the misunderstanding, I misunderstood.
- Houve um engano na minha interpretação das suas palavras.There was a misunderstanding in my interpretation of your words.
- Eu acho que houve um mal-entendidoI think there was a misunderstanding
- Desculpa, eu não entendi direitoSorry, I didn't understand correctly
- Peço desculpas pelo mal-entendidoI apologize for the misunderstanding
- Sinto muito pela confusãoI'm sorry for the confusion
- Desculpe por qualquer engano causadoSorry for any mistake caused
- Você poderia me explicar melhor?Could you explain it to me better?
- Eu não entendi completamente. Pode me dar mais detalhes?I didn't understand completely. Can you give me more details?
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rodrigo and Camila are clarifying a scheduling error at work.
- RodrigoAcho que houve um mal-entendido sobre o horário.I think there was a misunderstanding about the time.
- CamilaSim, eu entendi a hora errada.Yes, I understood the wrong time.
- RodrigoNão se preocupe, Camila, isso acontece.Don't worry, Camila, it happens.
- CamilaObrigada pela paciência, Rodrigo.Thanks for your patience, Rodrigo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “misunderstanding” translations and entries mal-entendido, confusão, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries confusão, mal-entendido, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
