Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA |
|---|---|
| mole | /ˈmɔ.li/ (Brazil) /ˈmɔ.lɨ/ (Portugal) |
| macio | /maˈsi.u/ (Brazil) /maˈsiw/ (Brazil) |
mole is used to describe an object or substance that yields easily to pressure, such as something very soft or particularly soft and wet like mud.
Which one should you use?
Use mole for objects that yield to pressure, such as a sponge or soft fruit or for things that are physically soft or squishy. Use macio when you mean soft or plush.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazilian Portuguese, the term Molenga is commonly used informally to denote something that is squishy or soft.
How does it change in a sentence?
mole is an adjective that must agree in gender with the noun it modifies, but it remains the same for both masculine and feminine nouns, such as o pão mole or a massa mole. In contrast, macio changes to macia to agree with feminine nouns, such as o travesseiro macio or a almofada macia.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈmɔ.li/. The stress is on the first of two syllables.
Did you know?
- Portuguese has a second, entirely different word spelled mole which refers to a massive structure or a heap, borrowed from the Latin 'mōlēs'.
- Because mole is also used to describe things that are easy or simple, saying isso é mole can mean 'that is easy' rather than 'that is soft'.
- If you call a person mole in Brazil, you are not just saying they are soft, but implying they are weak or lack character.
Examples in context
- Essa almofada é bem molenga.This cushion is really squishy.
- Esses travesseiros são muito moles.These pillows are very squishy.
- A massa do bolo está bem macia e fofinha.The cake dough is very soft and squishy.
- O chão está muito mole por causa da chuva.The ground is very squishy because of the rain.
- A massa do bolo ainda está mole.The cake batter is still soft and squishy.
- Não pise naquela lama, está bem mole.Don't step in that mud, it's very squishy.
Example conversation
Gabriel and Juliana are walking through a garden after a storm.
- GabrielCuidado para não escorregar, a terra está mole.Be careful not to slip, the soil is squishy.
- JulianaNossa, o jardim inteiro ficou assim.Wow, the whole garden became like this.
- GabrielJuliana, olhe como essa lama está mole.Juliana, look how squishy this mud is.
- JulianaÉ verdade, vamos andar pelo caminho seco.It's true, let's walk on the dry path.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “squishy” translations and entries mole, macio, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries macio, mole, CC BY-SA 4.0.
