o alfabeto
/ˈɔ aw.faˈbɛ.tu/word by word
In Portuguese, "the alphabet" is o alfabeto.
o alfabeto refers to the set of letters used to write the language. You may also see the word alfabeto used on its own to mean "alphabet" in a general sense.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase is masculine, which is why it uses the masculine article o.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈɔ aw.faˈbɛ.tu/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- The Portuguese alfabeto officially contains 26 letters, but until 2009, the letters k, w and y were not considered part of the national alphabet.
- Despite using o alfabeto to write, Portuguese speakers use a unique phonetic system where the letter x can represent four different sounds depending on the word.
- While English uses 'the alphabet' to refer to the letters, in Portuguese, a person who has learned to read and write is often described as being alfabetizado.
Examples in context
- Escreva o alfabeto em maiúsculas.Write the alphabet in capitals.This sentence is useful for practicing how to use o alfabeto with the instruction to use capital letters.Tatoeba #2180104 by alexmarcelo, translation #67288 by CM
- Fale o alfabeto de trás para frente.Say the alphabet backwards.This sentence shows how to use o alfabeto when talking about reciting it backwards.Tatoeba #390871 by brauliobezerra, translation #67287 by sacredceltic
- Por favor, diga o alfabeto ao contrário.Please say the alphabet in reverse.This sentence is useful for asking someone to say o alfabeto in reverse.Tatoeba #933795 by alexmarcelo, translation #930292 by CK
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A student is asking a teacher about the structure of the Portuguese language.
- BeatrizVocê conhece o alfabeto português?Do you know the Portuguese alphabet?
- RodrigoSim, eu conheço bem o alfabeto.Yes, I know the alphabet well.
- BeatrizO alfabeto é difícil de aprender?Is the alphabet difficult to learn?
- RodrigoNão, o alfabeto é bem simples.No, the alphabet is very simple.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (o, alfabeto) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
