céu
/ˈsɛw/masculine
The English word 'sky' is translated into Portuguese as céu.
The word céu refers to the atmosphere above a given point, specifically the area visible from Earth where one sees the sun, moon, stars and clouds. It is also used to refer to the religious concept of heaven.
Meaning: atmosphere above a given point, especially as visible from the surface of the Earth as the place where the sun, moon, stars, and clouds are seen (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of céu is céus, which corresponds to 'skies' in English.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈsɛw/
Did you know?
- Because céu means both 'sky' and 'heaven', the phrase céu da boca literally means 'heaven of the mouth' but is the standard term for the palate.
- In Brazil, the phrase céu de brigadeiro is used to describe a perfectly clear sky, referring to the brown, smooth texture of a popular chocolate sweet.
- The Portuguese word céu shares a root with the English word 'whole', as it originally derived from a term meaning 'the whole' or 'the dome'.
Examples in context
- O céu é azul.The sky is blue.This sentence is useful for describing the color of the céu.Tatoeba #397634 by brauliobezerra, translation #18275 by CK
- O céu é grande.The sky is big.This sentence is useful for describing the size of the céu.Tatoeba #1487144 by alexmarcelo, translation #1487079 by pyrachi
- Olhe para o céu.Look up at the sky.This sentence is useful for giving a direction to look toward the céu.Tatoeba #4721883 by ajdavidl, translation #2548654 by CK
- Olhe para o céu estrelado hoje à noite.Look at the starry sky tonight.
- Hoje, o céu está nublado.Today, the sky is cloudy.
- Vamos aproveitar o céu azul e o sol brilhante!Let's enjoy the blue sky and the bright sun!
- O azul infinito do céu me acalma.The infinite blue of the sky calms me down.
- Gosto de observar as nuvens que passam pelo céu.I like to observe the clouds passing by in the sky.
- 259 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Beatriz and Felipe are sitting on a balcony watching the evening.
- BeatrizFelipe, veja como o céu está bonito!Felipe, look how beautiful the sky is!
- FelipeÉ verdade, o céu está maravilhoso.It's true, the sky is wonderful.
- BeatrizEu amo observar o céu assim.I love watching the sky like this.
- FelipeEu também, Beatriz.Me too, Beatriz.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sky” translations and entries céu, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries céu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
