Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| vaso sanitário | /ˈva.zu sɐ.niˈta.ɾju/ (Brazil) | Brazil, masculine |
| privada | /pɾiˈva.dɐ/ (Brazil) /pɾiˈva.dɐ/ (Portugal) |
Brazil, feminine |
| retrete | /ʁeˈtɾɛ.t͡ʃi/ (Brazil) /ʁeˈtɾɛ.t͡ʃi/ (Rio de Janeiro) |
Portugal, feminine |
| sanita | /sɐˈni.tɐ/ (Portugal) | Portugal, feminine |
| latrina | /laˈtɾĩ.nɐ/ (Brazil) /lɐˈtɾi.nɐ/ (Portugal) |
feminine |
| citina | feminine |
This refers to the plumbing fixture used for urination and defecation. In Brazil, people often use the word banheiro (bathroom) to refer to the room containing the toilet, rather than naming the fixture itself. In official or public settings, you may encounter the term instalações sanitárias, which means sanitary facilities. The term toalete is also understood in Brazil.
What does it mean word for word?
The term vaso sanitário literally translates to "sanitary vase".
Which one should you use?
Vaso sanitário is the more formal or technical term for the fixture. In contrast, privada is a common, colloquial way to refer to the fixture in Brazil. For the specific fixture in Portugal, sanita is the standard term, while retrete is an alternative that can sometimes feel more old-fashioned.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, vaso sanitário is often used in formal contexts and privada for everyday speech. In Portugal, sanita is the standard term and retrete is also used.
How does it change in a sentence?
Vaso sanitário is a masculine noun, while privada, retrete, sanita, latrina and citina are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of vaso sanitário is /ˈva.zu sɐ.niˈta.ɾju/. It has 5 syllables and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- While vaso sanitário is the technical term, the word vaso alone is also used for a flower pot, making the phrase literally a 'sanitary flower pot'.
- The word sanita is a doublet of sanidade, meaning both words come from the same Latin source but evolved into different meanings over time.
- The term toalete is a direct loanword from French and is understood in Brazil, though it feels more elegant than the common privada.
Examples in context
- Tom limpou a privada.Tom cleaned the toilet.This sentence shows the use of the colloquial term privada.Tatoeba #4960520 by KimiP, translation #1095263 by CK
- O vaso sanitário transbordou.The toilet overflowed.This sentence shows the use of the term vaso sanitário.Tatoeba #8551023 by bill, translation #5201669 by Hybrid
- A escova de privada fica no banheiro, não na cozinha.That toilet brush belongs in the bathroom, not in the kitchen.Tatoeba #3428186 by piterkeo, translation #680354 by Source_VOA
- Onde fica a casa de banho?Where is the restroom?
- Onde estão as instalações sanitárias?Where are the sanitary facilities?
- Posso usar o banheiro?Can I use the bathroom?
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Camila and Rodrigo are renovating their new apartment.
- CamilaRodrigo, o vaso sanitário chegou?Rodrigo, did the toilet arrive?
- RodrigoSim, Camila, o vaso sanitário está na caixa.Yes, Camila, the toilet is in the box.
- CamilaÓtimo, vamos instalar agora?Great, shall we install it now?
- RodrigoSim, vamos terminar isso logo.Yes, let's finish this soon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “toilet” translations and entries vaso sanitário, privada, retrete, sanita, latrina, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries retrete, sanita, sanitário, vaso, vaso sanitário, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
