abóbora
/aˈbɔ.bo.ɾɐ/feminine
In Portuguese, pumpkin is abóbora. Wiktionary also lists jerimum.
Meaning: fruit of this plant (noun)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| abóbora | /aˈbɔ.bo.ɾɐ/ (Brazil) /aˈbɔ.bu.ɾɐ/ (Brazil) |
feminine |
| jerimum | /ʒe.ɾiˈmũ/ (Brazil) /ʒi.ɾiˈmũ/ (Brazil) |
Brazil, masculine |
The word refers to the fruit of the pumpkin plant.
Which one should you use?
While abóbora is the standard term used across most Portuguese-speaking areas, jerimum is a regional variant used in parts of Brazil.
Is it said differently in some regions?
jerimum is used specifically in certain regions of Brazil.
How does it change in a sentence?
abóbora is a feminine noun, so its plural is as abóboras. In contrast, the regional term jerimum is a masculine noun, written as o jerimum.
How do you pronounce it?
The word abóbora has four syllables, with the stress on the second syllable: /aˈbɔ.bo.ɾɐ/.
Did you know?
- Portuguese architecture uses the word abóbada for a vaulted ceiling because of its physical resemblance to the curved shape of an abóbora.
- While English speakers associate pumpkins with Halloween, the concept of a carved abóbora is a relatively recent import to Lusophone cultures from North America.
- The regional term jerimum is a direct linguistic link to the Indigenous Tupi-Guarani languages, rather than being of European origin.
Examples in context
- Comer abóbora crua faz mal?Is eating raw pumpkin safe?This sentence is useful for asking about the safety of eating abóbora raw.Tatoeba #2597875 by alexmarcelo, translation #954003 by CK
- Um cultivador em Rhode Island arrasou o recorde de uma abóbora gigante do próprio filho com uma cabaça a pesar 1.026 quilogramas (2.261 libras).A grower in Rhode Island has smashed his own son's giant pumpkin record with a gourd weighing 1,026 kilograms (2,261 pounds).This sentence uses abóbora to describe a record-breaking giant gourd.Tatoeba #11048468 by Cangarejo, translation #11048466 by Cangarejo
- Entre os cultivos alimentares que podem ser transformados em combustíveis estão: o milho, as palmeiras, a cana-de-açúcar, a beterraba, o trigo, o amendoim, a abóbora, as sementes de sésamo e algodão e um arbusto lenhoso chamado jatrofa.Among the food crops that can be made into fuels are: maize, palm trees, sugarcane, beetroot, wheat, groundnuts, pumpkin, sesame and cotton seeds, and the woody shrub called jatropha.This sentence lists abóbora among various food crops used for fuel.Tatoeba #11342948 by Cangarejo, translation #11342946 by Cangarejo
- Eu adoro sopa de abóboraI love pumpkin soup
- A minha avó faz um doce delicioso de jerimumMy grandmother makes a delicious pumpkin dessert
- A festa de São João tem as melhores comidas feitas com jerimuThe São João festival has the best foods made with pumpkin
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Mariana are in the kitchen preparing a soup.
- LucasVocê comprou a abóbora?Did you buy the pumpkin?
- MarianaSim, ela está na mesa.Yes, it is on the table.
- LucasVamos fazer uma sopa de abóbora.Let's make a pumpkin soup.
- MarianaÓtima ideia, Lucas.Great idea, Lucas.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pumpkin” translations and entries abóbora, jerimum, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries abóbora, jerimum, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
