Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pôr do sol | /ˈpoʁ du ˈsɔw/ (Brazil) /ˈpoɾ du ˈsɔw/ (São Paulo) |
masculine |
| poente | /poˈẽ.t͡ʃi/ (Brazil) /ˈpwẽ.tɨ/ (Portugal) |
|
| crepúsculo | /kɾeˈpus.ku.lu/ (Brazil) /kɾeˈpuʃ.ku.lu/ (Rio de Janeiro) |
masculine |
| pôr-do-sol | masculine | |
| ocaso | /oˈka.zu/ (Brazil) /ɔˈka.zu/ (Portugal) |
masculine |
| sol-pôr | /ˌsɔwˈpoʁ/ (Brazil) /ˌsɔwˈpoɾ/ (São Paulo) |
masculine |
In Portuguese, there are several ways to refer to the time of day when the sun disappears or the light fades. Other terms like crepúsculo or ocaso are used in specific literary or formal contexts.
Which one should you use?
The term crepúsculo refers more specifically to the twilight or the period of soft light around sunset, rather than the act of the sun setting itself. The word poente can be used as a noun to refer to the sun as it sets, or as an adjective to describe the west (the direction of the setting sun). The term ocaso is a formal synonym for 'sunset', often used metaphorically to describe the decline of an era or power.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The term 'crepúsculo' is a poetic and refined formal expression for sunset/twilight. The term 'ocaso' is a formal synonym for 'sunset'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The terms crepúsculo, pôr-do-sol, pôr do sol, ocaso and sol-pôr are all masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpoʁ du ˈsɔw/
Did you know?
- The Portuguese word pôr is a cognate of the English word 'dispose', as both share the same distant Latin root meaning 'to place'.
- The Portuguese word poente does double duty as both a noun for the setting sun and an adjective meaning 'west'.
- The word pôr in pôr do sol literally means 'to put', so the phrase translates word-for-word as 'putting of the sun'.
Examples in context
- O pôr do sol é lindo.The sunset is beautiful.This sentence uses pôr do sol to describe the beauty of a sunset.Tatoeba #5074880 by ToinhoAlam, translation #2045763 by CK
- Que horas é o pôr-do-sol?At what time is sunset?This sentence uses pôr-do-sol to ask about the time of sunset.Tatoeba #4821609 by Vitie, translation #4816782 by LB
- Nós admiramos o belo pôr-do-sol.We admired the beautiful sunset.This sentence uses pôr-do-sol to describe admiring the sunset.Tatoeba #734703 by lenon_perez, translation #249320 by CK
- O pôr do sol na praia é um espetáculo maravilhoso.The sunset at the beach is a marvelous spectacle.
- Gosto de observar o crepúsculo no campo.I enjoy observing the sunset in the countryside.
- O entardecer na montanha é simplesmente deslumbrante.The sunset in the mountains is simply stunning.
- 34 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Beatriz and Felipe are sitting on the beach in the late afternoon.
- BeatrizO pôr do sol está começando.The sunset is starting.
- FelipeSim, é o momento mais bonito do dia.Yes, it is the most beautiful moment of the day.
- BeatrizFelipe, vamos tirar uma foto deste pôr do sol?Felipe, shall we take a photo of this sunset?
- FelipeClaro, eu adoraria!Sure, I would love to!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sunset” translations and entries pôr do sol, poente, crepúsculo, pôr-do-sol, ocaso, sol-pôr, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries crepúsculo, do, poente, pôr, sol, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
