boca
/ˈbo.kɐ/feminine
The English word 'mouth' is translated into Portuguese as boca.
boca refers to the opening of a creature through which food is ingested. Metaphorically, it can be used to refer to a person's speech or the act of speaking, similar to the English expression 'to open one's mouth'.
Meaning: the opening of a creature through which food is ingested (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
boca is a feminine noun. Its plural form is bocas.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of boca is /ˈbo.kɐ/. It has two syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- In Brazil, the slang term boca can refer to a drug dealing spot, specifically a boca de fumo, which literally means 'smoke mouth'.
- The Portuguese word boca originates from the Latin bucca, which is believed to have Celtic origins rather than purely Roman ones.
- In a kitchen, a 'boca' can refer to a single burner on a stove, meaning a cook might say 'a primeira boca está ligada'.
Examples in context
- Abra a sua boca!Open your mouth!This sentence shows how to use boca in a command to open one's mouth.Tatoeba #405064 by brauliobezerra, translation #1664 by CE
- Abra bem a boca.Open your mouth wide.This sentence demonstrates how to tell someone to open their boca wide.Tatoeba #4840152 by bill, translation #240560 by CK
- Não abra a boca.Don't open your mouth.This sentence uses boca in a negative command regarding opening one's mouth.Tatoeba #5156927 by bill, translation #2270514 by CK
- A abertura da boca é importante para a fala.The opening of the mouth is important for speech.
- Sinto dores na boca quando mastigo alimentos duros.I feel pain in my mouth when I chew hard foods.
- Minha boca está seca, preciso beber água.My mouth is dry, I need to drink water.
- Feche a boca antes que uma mosca entre.Shut your mouth before a fly gets in.
- 144 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas is eating a very spicy snack.
- LucasMinha boca está queimando!My mouth is burning!
- MarianaBeba um pouco de água, Lucas.Drink some water, Lucas.
- LucasAinda sinto um calor na boca.I still feel a heat in my mouth.
- MarianaNão coma mais desse pacote.Don't eat any more from that package.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mouth” translations and entries boca, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries boca, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
