tornado
/toʁˈna.du/masculine
The English word "tornado" is translated into Portuguese as tornado. Wiktionary also lists ciclone.
Meaning: violent windstorm (noun)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| tornado | /toʁˈna.du/ (Brazil) /toɾˈna.du/ (São Paulo) |
masculine |
| ciclone | /siˈklõ.ni/ (Brazil) /siˈklɔ.nɨ/ (Portugal) |
masculine |
Both tornado and ciclone refer to violent windstorms, but they are used in different contexts.
Which one should you use?
tornado refers specifically to a tornado, whereas ciclone is a broader, more scientific or general term used for various types of rotating windstorms, such as cyclones or hurricanes.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both tornado and ciclone are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /toʁˈna.du/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- The word tornado shares the same root as the Portuguese verb tornar, which means 'to return' or 'to become', evoking the way the wind turns or revolves.
- Portuguese speakers may use the term redemoinho to describe a small whirlwind or dust devil, distinguishing these harmless spirals from a destructive tornado.
- If you are describing a violent windstorm that is more like a hurricane, you would use furacão in the Atlantic or tufão in the Pacific, even though both are types of 'ciclones'.
Examples in context
- O tornado destruiu a cidade.The tornado destroyed the town.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use tornado to describe destruction in a town.Tatoeba #5955645 by bill, translation #5953514 by mailohilohi
- O tornado destruiu nossa cidade.The tornado destroyed our town.This sentence is useful for using tornado to describe destruction in our town.Tatoeba #6201219 by carlosalberto, translation #6111181 by OsoHombre
- A cidade foi devastada por um tornado.The city was ravaged by a tornado.This sentence is useful for seeing how tornado can be used in a passive construction to describe a city being ravaged.Tatoeba #5955647 by bill, translation #5953517 by mailohilohi
- Se você olhar lá fora, pode ver um tornado se formando! Devemos buscar abrigo imediatamente!If you look outside, you can see a tornado forming! We should seek shelter immediately!
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felipe and Mariana are watching a weather report on TV.
- FelipeO jornal disse que um tornado está vindo.The news said a tornado is coming.
- MarianaIsso é assustador, Felipe.That is scary, Felipe.
- FelipePrecisamos nos preparar para o tornado.We need to prepare for the tornado.
- MarianaSim, vamos buscar o kit de emergência.Yes, let's go get the emergency kit.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tornado” translations and entries tornado, ciclone, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
