sobrinho
/soˈbɾĩ.ɲu/masculine
The English word "nephew" is sobrinho in Portuguese.
The term refers to a fraternal or sororal nephew.
Meaning: fraternal or sororal nephew (noun)
Which one should you use?
Unlike English, which uses different words for nephew and niece, Portuguese uses gendered endings on the same root word.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form of the word is sobrinha (niece). The masculine plural form sobrinhos is used to refer to a group of nephews or a mixed-gender group of nephews and nieces.
How do you pronounce it?
/soˈbɾĩ.ɲu/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- In many Portuguese-speaking cultures, calling someone sobrinho is not always a literal statement of kinship. It can be used as a term of endearment for a younger man who is a close family friend.
- While sobrinho now means 'nephew', it comes from the Latin word sobrīnus, which specifically meant 'maternal cousin'.
- Because of its Latin origin, sobrinho is a close linguistic relative of the Spanish word sobrino and the Galician sobriño.
Examples in context
- Tom é seu sobrinho?Is Tom your nephew?This sentence is useful for asking if Tom is someone's sobrinho.Tatoeba #5046491 by ajdavidl, translation #2648099 by CK
- Meu sobrinho tem doze anos.My nephew is twelve.This sentence is useful for stating that your sobrinho is twelve years old.Tatoeba #8191049 by carlosalberto, translation #8188770 by Ergulis
- O meu sobrinho se casará amanhã.My nephew is getting married tomorrow.This sentence is useful for mentioning that your sobrinho is getting married tomorrow.Tatoeba #5041985 by bill, translation #4132508 by CK
- O meu sobrinho é muito inteligente.My nephew is very intelligent.
- Vou visitar o meu sobrinho-neto neste fim de semana.I'm going to visit my grandnephew this weekend.
- Esse menino é o meu sobrinho.This boy is my nephew.
- O filho da minha irmã é o meu sobrinho.My sister's son is my nephew.
- 21 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Beatriz and Gabriel are talking about their family during a coffee break.
- BeatrizVocê tem um sobrinho?Do you have a nephew?
- GabrielSim, eu tenho um sobrinho pequeno.Yes, I have a little nephew.
- BeatrizComo é o nome do seu sobrinho?What is your nephew's name?
- GabrielO nome dele é Lucas.His name is Lucas.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nephew” translations and entries sobrinho, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sobrinho, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
