o
/u/masculine
In Portuguese, 'the' is expressed through several forms of the definite article depending on the noun. o. Wiktionary also lists a and os.
Meaning: article (article)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| o | /u/ (unstressed) /o/ (stressed) |
masculine |
| a | /ɐ/ (Portugal) /a/ (Brazil) |
feminine |
| os | /us/ (Brazil) /uʃ/ (Rio de Janeiro) |
masculine, plural |
| as | /as/ (Brazil) /aʃ/ (Rio de Janeiro) |
feminine, plural |
Which one should you use?
The choice between forms depends on whether the noun is masculine or feminine, and whether it is singular or plural: o is used for masculine singular nouns, a is used for feminine singular nouns, os is used for masculine plural nouns and as is used for feminine plural nouns.
How does it change in a sentence?
The article must agree in both gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) with the noun it modifies. Use o for masculine singular, a for feminine singular, os for masculine plural and as for feminine plural.
How do you pronounce it?
/u/
Did you know?
- In Brazil, the feminine article a is often used before the names of women to indicate intimacy or familiarity. Omitting the article can make the address feel more formal or distant.
- The feminine article a shares an ancient lineage that stretches back to the Phoenician symbol 'aleph' and the Egyptian hieroglyph for an ox.
- While o and a are articles, they are also used as the direct objects for many verbs, such as 'I saw him' becoming Eu o vi.
Examples in context
- O cão é teu.The dog is yours.This sentence shows the use of o for a masculine singular noun.Tatoeba #1141623 by alexmarcelo, translation #897307 by Scott
- O céu é azul.The sky is blue.Tatoeba #397634 by brauliobezerra, translation #18275 by CK
- Eu sou a lei!I am the law!This sentence shows the use of a for a feminine singular noun.Tatoeba #871867 by alexmarcelo, translation #862996 by papabear
- O cãoThe dog
- A casaThe house
- Os carrosThe cars
- As floresThe flowers
- 17145 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Beatriz are in a kitchen looking for a snack.
- GabrielOnde está o bolo?Where is the cake?
- BeatrizO bolo está na mesa.The cake is on the table.
- GabrielObrigado, Beatriz.Thank you, Beatriz.
- BeatrizDe nada, Gabriel.You're welcome, Gabriel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “the” translations and entries o, a, os, as, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, o, os, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
