franco-atirador
masculine
The English phrase "sniper" can be translated into Portuguese as franco-atirador. Wiktionary also lists atirador furtivo and atirador.
Meaning: a person using long-range small arms for precise attacks from a concealed position (noun)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| franco-atirador | masculine | |
| atirador furtivo | /a.t͡ʃi.ɾaˈdoʁ fuʁˈt͡ʃi.vu/ (Brazil, word by word) | masculine |
| atirador | /a.t͡ʃi.ɾaˈdoʁ/ (Brazil) /a.t͡ʃi.ɾaˈdoɾ/ (São Paulo) |
masculine |
| sniper | /izˈnaj.peʁ/ (Brazil) | feminine, masculine |
A sniper is a person using long-range small arms for precise attacks from a concealed position.
Which one should you use?
While atirador can mean sniper in certain contexts, its literal and most common meaning is simply "shooter" or "marksman".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The English loanword sniper is commonly used in informal contexts, such as in video games or casual conversation. For a formal term used in Portugal and Brazil, you can use Atirador de Elite, which means "elite shooter".
How does it change in a sentence?
The word atirador is masculine.
Did you know?
- In Brazilian Portuguese, sniper is so common in gaming culture that it is often used as a verb, snipar, to describe the act of picking someone off from a distance.
- The term furtivo used in atirador furtivo comes from the Latin word for 'theft', making a sniper literally a 'stealing shooter'.
- The word atirador is derived from the verb atirar, which is one of the most common verbs used for 'to throw' as well as 'to shoot'.
Examples in context
- Bom, Cupido é um péssimo atirador.Well, Cupid is a terrible sniper.This sentence uses atirador.Tatoeba #1541359 by alexmarcelo, translation #1540027 by saeb
- Tom levou um tiro na cabeça por um franco atirador.Tom got shot in the head by a sniper.This sentence shows atirador being used.Tatoeba #1571194 by alexmarcelo, translation #1571120 by Spamster
- Os meus amigos inalaram a fumaça acre dos fogos abaixo proveniente de pneus a arder e de edifícios em chamas e eles ouviram o estalar das balas de franco-atiradores e viram os manifestantes cambalear e cair quando eram atingidos faz hoje quase oito anos.My friends breathed in the acrid fumes of the fires below from burning tires and from buildings aflame, and they heard the crack of sniper bullets and saw protesters stumble and fall when struck almost eight years ago to the day.Tatoeba #11327439 by Cangarejo, translation #11327437 by Cangarejo
- O atirador de elite é um papel importante na equipe militar.The sniper is an important role in the military team.
- O francotirador é conhecido pela sua precisão.The sniper is known for their precision.
- O atirador furtivo foi fundamental para o sucesso da missão.The stealthy shooter was crucial to the mission's success.
- A polícia possui um atirador de longa distância em sua equipe.The police force has a long-distance shooter in their team.
Example conversation
Juliana and Felipe are discussing a movie about a war.
- JulianaO protagonista do filme é um franco-atirador.The protagonist of the movie is a sniper.
- FelipeEle consegue acertar o alvo de longe?Can he hit the target from far away?
- JulianaSim, ele é um franco-atirador muito talentoso.Yes, he is a very talented sniper.
- FelipeParece ser um personagem bem interessante.He seems to be a very interesting character.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sniper” translations and entries franco-atirador, atirador, sniper, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (atirador, furtivo) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries atirador, furtivo, sniper, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
