How to Say "Sister" in Portuguese

irmã

/iʁˈmɐ̃/feminine

The Portuguese word for sister is irmã.

irmã is a noun used to refer to a woman or girl who has the same parents as another person.

Meaning: woman or girl having the same parents (noun)

Which one should you use?

While irmã refers to a sister, the masculine form irmão is used to mean brother.

To express the plural form of sisters, use irmãs.

/iʁˈmɐ̃/

The Latin root of irmã is the same as the English word 'germane', which is used to describe something that is closely related or relevant.
In Portuguese, you can use the term irmão or irmã to refer to a fellow member of a religious order or a person in a brotherhood, regardless of biological relation.
While irmã means sister, the term irmã de consideração refers to a woman who is treated as a sister through a deep emotional bond rather than blood.

Ela é sua irmã?
Is she your sister?
This is useful for asking if someone is a sister.
Tatoeba #1052886 by brauliobezerra, translation #310274 by CK
Ela é minha irmã.
She's my sister.
This is useful for stating that someone is a sister.
Tatoeba #1204943 by alexmarcelo, translation #469126 by CK
Sua irmã mora aí?
Does your sister live there?
This is useful for asking if a sister lives in a specific location.
Tatoeba #1775463 by alexmarcelo, translation #1774493 by Amastan
A minha irmã é uma pessoa maravilhosa.
My sister is a wonderful person.
Eu adoro a minha maninha. Ela é a melhor!
I love my sister, she is the best!
A reunião foi organizada pela minha irmã consanguínea.
The reunion was organized by my sister by blood relation.
Mana, estou com saudades!
Sis, I miss you!
Onde está a minha irmãzinha?
Where is my little sister?
630 more sentences on Tatoeba

Gabriel and Juliana are talking about family members.

Sources

Wiktionary, “sister” translations and entries irmã, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
Word origins: Wiktionary entries irmã, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.

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