pobrezinho
/ˌpɔ.bɾiˈzĩ.ɲu/
The English phrase 'pobrecito' corresponds to the Portuguese word pobrezinho.
pobrezinho is an expression used to show pity or sympathy for someone who is in a sad or unfortunate situation. In Portuguese, expressing empathy for someone's plight can also be achieved through other terms such as coitado or coitada to express commiseration or by using the word triste to refer to a sad situation. Other ways to express these feelings include the informal and endearing terms coitadinho or coitadinha (poor little thing), tadinho or tadinha (poor thing) or the popular informal phrase que dó (how pitiful/sad).
How do you pronounce it?
The word has four syllables and the stress is on the third syllable: /ˌpɔ.bɾiˈzĩ.ɲu/.
Did you know?
- The use of the diminutive suffix '-zinho' in pobrezinho can be a double-edged sword, shifting the tone from genuine affection to a patronizing or sarcastic remark.
- While pobrezinho is a diminutive of 'poor', the Portuguese word pobre can be used as an intensifier in expressions like pobre coitado to amplify the level of misfortune.
- The word tadinho is an extreme linguistic contraction where the original word coitadinho is shortened so much that its original root is nearly unrecognizable to a new learner.
Examples in context
- Coitada, ela perdeu o emprego.Poor thing, she lost her job.
- O coitadinho levou um tombo e ficou todo sujo.The poor little thing fell down and got all dirty.
- O pobrezinho perdeu o brinquedo favorito.The poor little thing lost his favorite toy.
- Aquele pobrezinho está com muita fome.That poor little guy is very hungry.
- Pobrezinho, ele ficou tão triste com a notícia.Poor thing, he was so sad about the news.
Example conversation
Mariana and Gabriel are talking about a stray dog they saw in the street.
- MarianaOlha aquele cachorro abandonado, o pobrezinho está tremendo.Look at that abandoned dog, the poor little thing is shivering.
- GabrielSim, ele parece estar com muito frio.Yes, he looks like he is very cold.
- MarianaDá muita pena dele, coitado.I feel so sorry for him, poor guy.
- GabrielVamos levar um pouco de comida para ele?Shall we bring him some food?
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry pobrezinho, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
