mosquito
/mosˈki.tu/masculine
The English word mosquito is translated into Portuguese as mosquito.
The word refers to a small flying insect of the family Culicidae that is known for biting and sucking blood.
Meaning: small flying insect of the family Culicidae, known for biting and sucking blood (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
Muriçoca is used in informal Brazilian Portuguese and regional dialects.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural of mosquito is mosquitos.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable: /mosˈki.tu/.
Did you know?
- The word mosquete (musket) is a linguistic doublet of mosquito, meaning they share a common historical linguistic root despite their very different modern meanings.
- While mosquito is the standard term, certain Brazilian regions use pernilongo to refer specifically to the larger, more annoying types of mosquitoes.
- Unlike English, where 'mosquito' is a distinct word, Portuguese can create an even smaller version by adding another diminutive, such as mosquitinho.
Examples in context
- Fui picado por um mosquito.I was bitten by a mosquito.This sentence shows how to say you were bitten by a mosquito.Tatoeba #4795374 by Ricardo14, translation #4794027 by NatsuDonkey
- Um mosquito acabou de me picar.A mosquito just bit me.This sentence demonstrates how to express that a mosquito just bit you.Tatoeba #7902830 by piterkeo, translation #23597 by CK
- Preciso de repelente para mosquitos.I need mosquito repellent.This sentence is useful for expressing a need for repellent for mosquito.Tatoeba #7834989 by piterkeo, translation #436865 by lukaszpp
- Eu vi um mosquitoI saw a mosquito
- Eu vi muitos mosquitosI saw many mosquitoes
- 22 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rodrigo and Mariana are sitting on a porch during the evening.
- RodrigoTem um mosquito voando perto de você, Mariana.There is a mosquito flying near you, Mariana.
- MarianaOnde? Eu não estou vendo nenhum mosquito.Where? I don't see any mosquito.
- RodrigoEle acabou de pousar no seu braço!It just landed on your arm!
- MarianaAi! Ele me picou!Ow! It bit me!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mosquito” translations and entries mosquito, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mosquito, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
