mofo
/ˈmo.fu/masculine
The English word "mold" (referring to the furry or woolly growth of tiny fungi) is translated into Portuguese as mofo or bolor.
Meaning: furry or woolly growth of tiny fungi (noun)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| mofo | /ˈmo.fu/ (Brazil) /ˈmo.fu/ (Portugal) |
masculine |
| bolor | /boˈloʁ/ (Brazil) /boˈloɾ/ (São Paulo) |
masculine |
Both terms are masculine nouns used to describe the growth of fungi. Related verbs include moldar-se a, which means to be shaped in or as if in a mold and modelar, which means to form into a particular shape or to give shape to.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The word mofo is pronounced /ˈmo.fu/. It has 2 syllables, with the stress on the first syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the verb moldar (which means to shape or mold an object) when they actually intend to refer to the noun mofo (the fungus).
Did you know?
- While mofo refers to the fungus, the verb mofar can also mean 'to mock' or 'to make fun of' someone in certain Portuguese-speaking contexts.
- Portuguese speakers use the phrase estar mofado to describe something covered in mold, but it can also be a slang way to say something is very old or outdated.
- In Portuguese, the word for a casting mold used in art or industry is molde, which is a cognate of the English word 'mold'. This is completely unrelated to the fungal mofo or bolor.
Examples in context
- Tom é alérgico a mofo.Tom is allergic to mold.This sentence is useful for expressing an allergy to mofo.Tatoeba #4986519 by ajdavidl, translation #3222387 by Hybrid
- Não comi o pão porque havia mofo na casca.I didn't eat the bread because there was mold on the crust.This sentence shows how to describe finding mofo on the crust of bread.Tatoeba #12382986 by piterkeo, translation #12382324 by CK
- A comida começou a mofarThe food started to mold
- Remova o bolor antes de consumirRemove the mold before consuming
- Essa parede tem um pouco de mofoThis wall has some mold
- Tem fungo naquele alimentoThat food has mold
- O pão está com mofo, jogue-o fora.The bread has mold, throw it away.
- Verifique se há bolor antes de usar o chuveiro.Check for mold before using the shower.
- Após as enchentes, muitas casas ficaram cheias de mofo.After the floods, many houses were filled with mold.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Camila and Gabriel are looking at a leftover container in the fridge.
- CamilaCuidado, Gabriel! Tem mofo no queijo.Careful, Gabriel! There is mold on the cheese.
- GabrielNossa, o mofo está bem visível.Wow, the mold is very visible.
- CamilaEu vou jogar fora esse pote agora.I am going to throw this container away now.
- GabrielÉ melhor assim, para não passarmos mal.It is better this way, so we don't get sick.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mold” translations and entries mofo, bolor, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
