ler
/ˈle(ʁ)/
The English verb 'read' is translated to Portuguese as ler.
ler is used to mean looking at and interpreting letters or other information. In different contexts, other terms may be more appropriate. For a formal or technical environment where you are reading something carefully or examining it with attention, you might use Examinar. For a casual way of reading something quickly or browsing through, the informal phrase Dar uma olhada is used.
Meaning: to look at and interpret letters or other information (verb)
Which one should you use?
While ler is the verb, the noun leitura is used to refer to the act or process of reading.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the verb, note these specific forms: leio is the first-person singular present tense, li is the first-person singular past tense and lido is the past participle, which is used to form compound tenses or as an adjective.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈle(ʁ)/
Did you know?
- Because ler comes from the Latin 'legere', it is a direct linguistic cousin to the English word 'collect', as the original meaning involved gathering or picking up things.
- The past participle lido can be used as an adjective to describe someone who is well-read and cultured, similar to saying someone is 'well-read' in English.
- The related noun leitura can also be used in a political or social context to mean 'interpretation' of an event, much like 'reading into' something in English.
Examples in context
- Eu não sei ler.I can't read.This sentence is useful for expressing an inability to read with ler.Tatoeba #4998840 by bill, translation #1954729 by CK
- Eu não o lerei.I'm not going to read it.This sentence is useful for expressing a refusal to read something with ler.Tatoeba #11443164 by carlosalberto, translation #5493763 by CK
- Eu gosto de ler.I like to read.This sentence is useful for expressing a preference for reading with ler.Tatoeba #1348932 by alexmarcelo, translation #2164515 by CM
- Eu gosto de ler livros no meu tempo livre.I enjoy reading books in my free time.
- Preciso estudar este livro para a minha pesquisa.I need to read/study this book for my research.
- O médico precisa examinar os resultados do teste para fazer o diagnóstico.The doctor needs to read/examine the test results to make the diagnosis.
- Adivinha o que li hoje? Um livro incrível!Guess what I read today? An amazing book!
- Vou dar uma olhada nesse artigo antes da reunião.I'll read/take a look at this article before the meeting.
- Peguei um livro na biblioteca e comecei a folhear para ver se era interessante.I picked up a book from the library and started leafing through it to see if it was interesting.
- Eu vou só bater o olho nesses documentos antes de assinar.I'll just read through these documents quickly before signing.
- 554 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
In a library, Gabriel is looking for a book.
- GabrielEu quero ler este livro novo.I want to read this new book.
- JulianaEle é muito bom para ler.It is very good to read.
- GabrielVocê pode ler o título para mim?Can you read the title to me?
- JulianaClaro, eu leio agora mesmo.Of course, I will read it right now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “read” translations and entries ler, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ler, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
