Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| grávido | /ˈɡɾa.vi.du/ (Brazil) /ˈɡɾa.vi.du/ (Portugal) |
|
| prenhe | /ˈpɾẽ.ɲi/ (Brazil) /ˈpɾɐ(j).ɲɨ/ (Portugal) |
|
| prenha | /ˈpɾẽ.ɲɐ/ (Brazil) /ˈpɾɐ(j).ɲɐ/ (Portugal) |
colloquial, feminine, alternative form |
The term refers to carrying developing offspring within the body. When stating that someone is pregnant, it is standard to use the verb estar (to be in a state) rather than ser (to be a permanent characteristic), resulting in the phrase estar grávida.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends on the subject. Use grávido when referring to humans, as it is the standard and most polite term. In biological or veterinary contexts, or when referring to animals, use prenhe. The form prenha is a colloquial alternative spelling of prenhe.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For humans, grávido is the standard and polite choice. If you want to be particularly polite or formal, you can use the phrase à espera de um bebê (expecting a baby). In highly formal settings, em estado de gravidez (in a state of pregnancy) is also used. For animals, prenhe is the appropriate technical or biological term.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree in gender and number with the subject. Use grávida for a woman, grávidos for a group of women or a mixed group.
How do you pronounce it?
The word grávido has three syllables and the stress is on the first syllable: /ˈɡɾa.vi.du/.
Did you know?
- The word grávido shares the same Latin root as the English word 'gravity'. Both come from 'gravitas' meaning 'heaviness'.
- Using the word prenhe to describe a human woman is considered a grave insult or extremely vulgar in Portuguese culture.
- In some regions of Brazil, people use the expression estar com um ovo to colloquially refer to being pregnant.
Examples in context
- Os céticos, no entanto, consideram a evidência "fraca" e dizem que não há provas concretas de que raposas prenhes ou crias de raposa estejam presentes na Tasmânia.Skeptics, however, call the evidence "flimsy" and say that there is no concrete proof that pregnant vixens or fox cubs are present in Tasmania.This sentence shows the use of prenhe when referring to foxes.Tatoeba #12267251 by Cangarejo, translation #12267249 by Cangarejo
- No final de um período de gestação que dura geralmente entre duas e quatro semanas, a área abdominal do macho prenhe começa a ondular ritmicamente e fortes contrações musculares ejetam desde algumas dezenas até 1.000 cavalos-marinhos bebés completamente formados para a água circundante.At the end of a gestation period usually lasting from two to four weeks, the pregnant male’s abdominal area begins to undulate rhythmically, and strong muscular contractions eject from a few dozen to as many as 1,000 fully formed baby seahorses into the surrounding water.This sentence illustrates the use of prenhe in a biological context regarding seahorses.Tatoeba #12001189 by Cangarejo, translation #12001188 by Cangarejo
- A vaca está prenha?Is the cow pregnant?This sentence shows the colloquial feminine form prenha used in a question about a cow.
- Estou grávidaI am pregnant
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pregnant” translations and entries grávido, prenhe, prenha, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
