selo
/ˈse.lu/masculine
In Portuguese, the English phrase 'postage stamp' is translated as selo. Wiktionary also lists selo postal.
Meaning: piece of paper indicating postage has been paid (noun)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| selo | /ˈse.lu/ (Brazil) /ˈse.lu/ (Portugal) |
masculine |
| selo postal | masculine |
A selo is a piece of paper indicating that postage has been paid. Note that the word timbre also means 'tone' in Portuguese, and carimbo can refer to a stamp used for marking documents in general.
Which one should you use?
While selo postal specifically refers to a postage stamp, the word selo alone is often used in everyday conversation to mean a postage stamp, but it can also mean a seal, a sticker or a stamp used for authentication. If you are referring to a rubber stamp used for marking documents rather than a postage stamp, use the word carimbo.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural of selo is selos.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of selo is /ˈse.lu/. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- The word selo is a linguistic cousin of the English word 'sigil' meaning a magical symbol.
- The word selo is a close relative of the word sigilo, which means 'secrecy' or 'privacy' in Portuguese.
- The word selo and the Spanish word 'sello' are essentially twins, as they both descend from the same Old Galician-Portuguese ancestor.
Examples in context
- Antonio Alcalá dedicou mais de uma década a criar um único selo postal.Antonio Alcala has spent over a decade creating a single postage stamp.This sentence is useful for illustrating the use of selo.Tatoeba #11455191 by Cangarejo, translation #11455190 by Cangarejo
- Eu preciso comprar selos postais para enviar as cartas.I need to buy postage stamps to send the letters.
- Preciso colar selinhos no meu álbum.I need to stick the postage stamps in my album.
- Eu preciso comprar um selo para esta carta.I need to buy a stamp for this letter.
- O selo está colado no envelope.The stamp is stuck to the envelope.
Example conversation
Camila and Felipe are at a post office.
- CamilaFelipe, você tem um selo?Felipe, do you have a stamp?
- FelipeNão, eu esqueci de comprar um.No, I forgot to buy one.
- CamilaVou pegar um selo para nós.I will get a stamp for us.
- FelipeObrigado, Camila, você é muito gentil.Thank you, Camila, you are very kind.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “postage stamp” translations and entries selo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries selo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
