inchaço
/ĩˈʃa.su/masculine
The English word 'swelling' is translated into Portuguese as inchaço.
inchaço is used to refer to anything that is swollen.
Meaning: anything swollen (noun)
Which one should you use?
While inchaço refers to the state of being swollen (the swelling), the verb inchar is used to describe the action of swelling up.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, Retenção de líquido is a common expression for swelling caused by water retention.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun inchaço is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ĩˈʃa.su/. It has 3 syllables, and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- In Brazil, the word inchaço is sometimes used in political or corporate contexts to describe an 'overbloated' bureaucracy or an oversized staff.
- Portuguese speakers may use inchar to describe the way a river overflows its banks during a flood.
- The suffix -aço in inchaço is often used in Portuguese to create 'augmentatives' that make a noun seem larger or more intense.
Examples in context
- O inchaço diminuiu.The swelling has gone down.This sentence shows how to describe the swelling going down using inchaço.Tatoeba #8246760 by lucasmg123, translation #6459806 by Eccles17
- Ponha um pouco de gelo no seu tornozelo para reduzir o inchaço.Put some ice on your ankle to keep the swelling down.This sentence explains how to use ice on an ankle to reduce inchaço.Tatoeba #4810615 by Ricardo14, translation #4708898 by CK
- Aplique um pouco de gelo na área lesionada para reduzir o inchaço.Apply some ice to the injured area to reduce swelling.This sentence describes applying ice to an injured area to reduce inchaço.Tatoeba #8523185 by Capistrano, translation #5366291 by Hybrid
- Sinto inchaço na pernaI feel swelling in my leg
- Ela tem edema no tornozeloShe has swelling in her ankle
- Estou com o pé inchadoI have a swollen foot
- Meu rosto está inflamadoMy face is swollen
- O tornozelo dele começou a incharHis ankle started to swell
- O médico diagnosticou um inchaço no joelho.The doctor diagnosed swelling in the knee.
- Os sinais de edema são frequentemente percebidos pelos pacientes.The signs of edema are often noticed by patients.
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rodrigo is showing his injured hand to Mariana.
- RodrigoVeja como o inchaço está grande!Look how big the swelling is!
- MarianaIsso parece doer bastante, Rodrigo.That looks like it hurts a lot, Rodrigo.
- RodrigoSim, e o inchaço não passa.Yes, and the swelling won't go away.
- MarianaVocê deve ir ao médico agora.You should go to the doctor now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “swelling” translations and entries inchaço, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries inchaço, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
