sogra
/ˈsɔ.ɡɾɐ/feminine
The Portuguese word for mother-in-law is sogra.
sogra is a feminine noun used to refer to the mother of one's spouse.
Meaning: spouse's mother (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term sogra is widely understood and used in Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique and Cape Verde.
How does it change in a sentence?
To form the plural for mothers-in-law, use sogras. If you wish to refer to parents-in-law collectively, use the masculine plural form sogros.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable. The IPA is /ˈsɔ.ɡɾɐ/.
Did you know?
- Unlike in English, where 'mother-in-law' is a compound phrase, sogra is a single root word that does not literally mention 'law' or 'marriage'.
- In Brazil, sogra is a frequent target of jokes and humorous stereotypes depicting the mother-in-law as a controlling or antagonistic figure.
- While sogra is the formal term, some Brazilians may use the affectionate diminutive sogrinha to soften the relationship or show fondness.
Examples in context
- Minha sogra é uma pessoa maravilhosa.My mother-in-law is a wonderful person.
- Ela é uma excelente sogra.She is an excellent mother-in-law.
- Gosto muito da minha sogra.I really like my mother-in-law.
- A mãe do meu esposo é uma pessoa incrível.My husband's mother is an incredible person.
- Eu me dou muito bem com a mãe do meu esposo.I get along very well with my husband's mother.
- Minha sogra é muito simpática.My mother-in-law is very kind.
- Minha sogra é uma ótima cozinheira.My mother-in-law is a great cook.
- Eu vou visitar minha sogra amanhã.I am going to visit my mother-in-law tomorrow.
- A sogra do Gabriel é muito simpática.Gabriel's mother-in-law is very kind.
Example conversation
Juliana and Gabriel are talking about a family lunch.
- JulianaGabriel, sua sogra vai ao almoço?Gabriel, is your mother-in-law coming to lunch?
- GabrielSim, ela confirmou a presença.Yes, she confirmed she is coming.
- JulianaQue bom! Ela é muito gentil.That's great! She is very kind.
- GabrielEla também gosta muito de você.She likes you a lot too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mother-in-law” translations and entries sogra, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
