um
/ˈũ/masculine
The English word 'one' is translated to Portuguese as um.
um is used as the cardinal number one. It can also function as the indefinite article 'a' or 'an'. For more formal contexts involving quantities or measurements, you can use the phrase uma unidade.
Meaning: cardinal number 1 (num)
Which one should you use?
Unlike English, the word for one must agree in gender with the noun it modifies: use um for masculine and uma for feminine.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, Brazilians may opt for the phrase um(a) só(a) to place emphasis on the unity or singularity of something.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word for one changes to uma when referring to a feminine noun. Additionally, the word um can function as the indefinite article 'a' or 'an' in addition to the number one.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈũ/
Did you know?
- In some regional Brazilian dialects, um can be used as a filler word or a hesitation marker in conversation, similar to 'uh' or 'um' in English, though it is spelled the same.
- While um means 'one', the word uno is a linguistic doublet of the same origin and appears in Portuguese mainly within the context of specific card games or as a borrowed term.
- Portuguese uses the word um in the expression um dia, which can mean 'one day' in a literal sense or 'someday' in an indefinite future sense.
Examples in context
- Eu já vi um.I've already seen one.Tatoeba #4907221 by bill, translation #2891403 by CK
- Dê um a ele.Give him one.Tatoeba #11773217 by ajdavidl, translation #11773061 by Zahia_Ntmazirt
- É uma e meia.It's half past one.Tatoeba #8803543 by carlosalberto, translation #3550808 by adamtrousers
- Eu tenho um livro.I have one book.
- Preciso de um café.I need one coffee.
- Eu só quero um pedaço de bolo.I just want one piece of cake.
- Eu só preciso de uma única chance.I just need one single chance.
- Eu só tenho uma irmã.I only have one sister.
- 3146 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Mariana are at a cafe.
- MarianaLucas, você quer um café?Lucas, do you want one coffee?
- LucasSim, eu quero um café, obrigado.Yes, I want one coffee, thanks.
- MarianaEu vou pedir um para mim também.I will order one for myself too.
- LucasÓtimo, Mariana.Great, Mariana.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “one” translations and entries um, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries um, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
