obrigado
/o.bɾiˈɡa.du/
obrigada is the Portuguese way to say "thank you" when spoken by a female.
The phrase is used to express gratitude. You can emphasize your gratitude by saying Muito obrigada(o)!, which adds muito (meaning "very") before the word. For a very informal and friendly variation, you can add the suffix -ão to create Obrigadão! For playful or informal written communication, some people use Obrigadex!
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, the word means "obliged" or "bound", as it is the past participle of the verb obrigar (to oblige), meaning "I am obliged" (to you).
Which one should you use?
Unlike English, the word for "thank you" must agree with the gender of the person speaking, rather than the gender of the person being spoken to. A male should use obrigado while a female uses obrigada.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form obrigada is used by female speakers to say thank you, whereas the form obrigado is used by male speakers.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable: /o.bɾiˈɡa.du/.
Did you know?
- In some regions of Brazil, people respond to obrigada by saying imagina, which literally means 'imagine'. This is used as a polite way to say 'don't mention it' or 'it was nothing'.
- While obrigada is used for gratitude, the verb it comes from, obrigar, is also used in Portuguese to mean 'to force' someone to do something.
- In very casual Brazilian Portuguese, people may shorten the sentiment to just valeu, a slang term that replaces obrigado or obrigada in informal settings.
Example conversation
Lucas gives Juliana a book she wanted.
- JulianaPara você, Juliana!For you, Juliana!
- LucasNossa, eu queria muito este livro!Wow, I really wanted this book!
- JulianaFico feliz que gostou.I'm glad you liked it.
- LucasMuito obrigado, Lucas!Thank you very much, Lucas!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry obrigado, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
