óleo
/ˈɔ.ʎu/masculine
The English word oil is óleo in Portuguese.
óleo refers to liquid fat. In a culinary context, óleo often refers to vegetable or seed oils, such as soybean oil, while óleo de cozinha specifically means cooking oil. For mechanical purposes, óleo de motor means motor oil.
Meaning: liquid fat (noun)
Which one should you use?
While óleo is a general term for any oil, azeite is the specific word used for olive oil.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, óleo is more common when referring to cooking oil. In Portugal, the term azeite is predominantly used for olive oil.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of óleo is óleos.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and is pronounced /ˈɔ.ʎu/. The stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- In some religious contexts in Portuguese, óleo refers to the sacred oil used for anointing, distinguishing it from the everyday cooking fats.
- The word óleo is borrowed from the Latin 'oleum', which specifically referred to olive oil in the Roman world.
- Portuguese uses the word óleo in the term óleo essencial for essential oils, which are used for aromatherapy rather than cooking or mechanics.
Examples in context
- Onde está o óleo?Where's the oil?This sentence shows how to ask for the location of the óleo.Tatoeba #8930503 by JGEN, translation #8918731 by CK
- Tom checou o óleo.Tom checked the oil.This sentence demonstrates the use of óleo when checking a substance.Tatoeba #10820909 by DavidDias, translation #6310333 by Hybrid
- Eu deveria ter trocado o óleo.I should've changed the oil.This sentence illustrates the use of óleo when discussing changing a liquid.Tatoeba #6011710 by bill, translation #3734309 by CK
- O óleo de cozinha é essencial para preparar diversos pratos saborosos.Cooking oil is essential for preparing various tasty dishes.
- Preciso trocar o óleo do meu carro.I need to change my car's oil.
- 64 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
In the kitchen, preparing a salad.
- RodrigoVocê viu o óleo de girassol?Did you see the sunflower oil?
- JulianaEstá dentro do armário, Rodrigo.It is inside the cupboard, Rodrigo.
- RodrigoObrigado, Juliana. Vou preparar o tempero.Thank you, Juliana. I will prepare the dressing.
- JulianaUse pouco óleo para ser saudável.Use little oil to be healthy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “oil” translations and entries óleo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries óleo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
