coelho
/kuˈe.ʎu/masculine
The Portuguese word for rabbit is coelho.
coelho is the most common and generic word used to refer to the mammal.
Meaning: mammal (noun)
Which one should you use?
While coelho is the standard term, you might use the diminutive form coelhinho to refer to small, cute rabbits or when speaking to children. For gender-specific references, use coelha for a single female rabbit.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine singular form is coelho and the plural for a group of males or a mixed group is coelhos. To refer to a single female rabbit, use the feminine form coelha and if you are referring to a group consisting only of female rabbits, use the plural form coelhas.
How do you pronounce it?
/kuˈe.ʎu/ (3 syllables, stress on the 2nd syllable)
Did you know?
- In some Portuguese-speaking regions, particularly in certain slang or older contexts, the word for rabbit can be used metaphorically to describe someone who is timid or easily frightened.
- In Brazil, the expression coelho is often used in the context of the Coelho da Páscoa who brings chocolates, a tradition adopted from Northern Europe.
- The spelling of the word follows a specific phonetic pattern where the 'lh' represents a palatal lateral approximant, a sound that does not exist in standard English.
Examples in context
- O coelho é marrom.The rabbit is brown.This sentence is useful for describing the color of the coelho.Tatoeba #11524217 by carlosalberto, translation #11524206 by carlosalberto
- Olhe, há um coelho!Look, there's a rabbit!This sentence is useful for pointing out the presence of a coelho.Tatoeba #1672138 by alexmarcelo, translation #1671948 by Spamster
- Nós temos um coelho.We have a rabbit.This sentence is useful for stating ownership of a coelho.Tatoeba #10025546 by Ricardo14, translation #10025496 by shekitten
- Eu vi um coelho no jardim.I saw a rabbit in the garden.
- Mãe, o bichinho da Páscoa deixou ovos no jardim!Mom, the Easter bunny left eggs in the garden!
- Que coelhinho fofinho! Posso acariciá-lo?What a cute little bunny! Can I pet it?
- Meu filho ganhou um coelho peludo de presente.My son received a furry rabbit as a gift.
- Meu irmão ganhou um coelhinho como animal de estimação.My brother got a bunny as a pet.
- 40 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Beatriz and Lucas are at a pet store.
- BeatrizO coelho é muito fofo.The rabbit is very cute.
- LucasSim, ele é muito bonito.Yes, he is very beautiful.
- BeatrizPodemos comprar o coelho?Can we buy the rabbit?
- LucasAcho que sim, Beatriz.I think so, Beatriz.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rabbit” translations and entries coelho, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
