Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| roupa interior | /ˈʁo(w).pɐ ĩ.te.ɾiˈoʁ/ (Brazil, word by word) | feminine |
| roupa de baixo | /ˈʁo(w).pɐ d͡ʒi ˈbaj.ʃu/ (Brazil, word by word) | feminine |
| roupa íntima | /ˈʁo(w).pɐ ˈĩ.t͡ʃi.mɐ/ (Brazil) | feminine |
All these terms refer to clothes worn next to the skin.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase roupa interior is a literal construction where roupa means clothing and interior means interior or inside.
Which one should you use?
Roupa íntima can be thought of as "intimate clothing" and is a more euphemistic or polite way to refer to undergarments, often used in retail. roupa interior is the standard term in Portugal.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, roupa íntima and roupa de baixo are more common. Brazilian Portuguese also features specific regional terms like cuecas samba-canção for loose-fitting men's boxers and calcinhas fio dental for a thong.
How does it change in a sentence?
All the forms provided, roupa de baixo, roupa íntima and roupa interior, are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈʁo(w).pɐ ĩ.te.ɾiˈoʁ/. It has 5 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- In Brazil, calcinhas fio dental is the term for a thong, which literally translates to 'dental floss panties'.
- The word roupa shares a distant ancestor with the English word 'rob', stemming from a Germanic root that meant to 'take' or 'seize'.
- The word baixo is a direct relative of the English musical term 'bass', both descending from a Latin root meaning 'low'.
Examples in context
- Vesti tudo o que trouxe: dois pares de roupa interior comprida (de cima e de baixo), uma lã, dois blusões, uma balaclava, um gorro de esqui, dois pares de luvas e um par de óculos de esqui.I put on everything I brought: two pairs of long underwear (tops and bottoms), a fleece, two down jackets, a balaclava, a ski hat, two pairs of gloves, and a pair ski goggles.This sentence is useful for describing various items of clothing, including the form roupa interior.Tatoeba #11604196 by Cangarejo, translation #11604195 by Cangarejo
- Eu preciso comprar roupa íntima novaI need to buy new underwear
- As peças íntimas devem ser confortáveisUnderwear should be comfortable
- Vou comprar cuecas samba-canção para o verãoI'll buy some loose boxers for the summer
- Minhas calcinhas fio dental sumiram da gavetaMy thong underwear is missing from the drawer
- Ela comprou roupa interior nova hoje.She bought new underwear today.
- Esta roupa interior é muito confortável.This underwear is very comfortable.
Example conversation
Lucas and Beatriz are packing bags for a trip.
- LucasBeatriz, já colocaste a roupa interior na mala?Beatriz, have you already put the underwear in the suitcase?
- BeatrizAinda não, vou fazer isso agora.Not yet, I will do that now.
- LucasLeva o suficiente para dez dias.Take enough for ten days.
- BeatrizTens razão, vou levar mais alguns pares.You are right, I will take a few more pairs.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “underwear” translations and entries roupa interior, roupa de baixo, roupa íntima, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (roupa, interior, de, baixo) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries baixo, de, interior, roupa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
