ovelha
/oˈve.ʎɐ/feminine
The Portuguese word for sheep is ovelha.
Ovelha is a noun used to refer to the animal.
Meaning: animal (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Portugal, the term for sheep is ovelha.
How does it change in a sentence?
Ovelha is a feminine noun. Because it is feminine, you must use the feminine indefinite article uma when saying 'a sheep' (uma ovelha). The plural of ovelha is ovelhas.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of ovelha is /oˈve.ʎɐ/. It has three syllables, and the stress is on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- The word ovelha comes from the Latin ovicula, which was originally a diminutive meaning 'little sheep'.
- Portuguese makes a sharp distinction between ovelha and cordeiro, with the latter reserved specifically for a lamb, especially in cooking or religion.
- In religious contexts, ovelha is used to describe a follower of a church, mirroring the biblical image of a flock.
Examples in context
- Aquela ovelha é dela.That sheep is hers.This sentence is useful for practicing the possessive pronoun with ovelha.Tatoeba #12054188 by carlosalberto, translation #12053601 by DarnYeet
- Há lobos e há ovelhas.There are wolves and there are sheep.This sentence shows the contrast between wolves and sheep using ovelha.Tatoeba #11699434 by carlosalberto, translation #11699433 by carlosalberto
- 2015 é o Ano da Ovelha.2015 is the year of the wood sheep.This sentence shows how ovelha is used in the context of the Chinese zodiac.Tatoeba #3878501 by Laudemilson, translation #3878487 by Hybrid
- Eles têm um rebanho de ovelhas em sua fazenda.They have a flock of sheep on their farm.
- Vamos comprar um carneirinho de pelúcia para a criança.Let's buy a plush sheep for the child.
- A ovelhinha está pulando a cerca.The little sheep is jumping the fence.
- 50 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Juliana and Felipe are visiting a farm.
- JulianaOlha aquela ovelha branca!Look at that white sheep!
- FelipeEla é muito bonita.It is very beautiful.
- JulianaOnde vive essa ovelha?Where does this sheep live?
- FelipeEla vive neste pasto.It lives in this pasture.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sheep” translations and entries ovelha, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ovelha, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
