melancia
/me.lɐ̃ˈsi.ɐ/feminine
Watermelon in Portuguese is melancia.
Melancia refers to the fruit watermelon. It is the most common and widely recognized term used in both Brazil and Portugal.
Meaning: fruit (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable. The IPA is /me.lɐ̃ˈsi.ɐ/.
Did you know?
- In Brazilian political slang, calling someone a melancia is a way to label them a fake, suggesting they are green (capitalist) on the outside but red (socialist) on the inside.
- The etymology of melancia potentially traces back to the Arabic word for 'Valencian', linking the fruit's name to the Spanish region of Valencia.
- Some Brazilians grew up hearing the folk tale that swallowing melancia seeds will cause a real watermelon to grow inside your stomach.
Examples in context
- Eu gosto de melancia.I like watermelon.This sentence is useful for expressing a personal preference for melancia.Tatoeba #1916277 by alexmarcelo, translation #1575786 by human600
- Vamos comer uma melancia!Let's eat a watermelon!This sentence is useful for suggesting eating a melancia.Tatoeba #421814 by brauliobezerra, translation #421377 by FeuDRenais
- Você comprou uma melancia?Did you buy a watermelon?This sentence is useful for asking if someone purchased a melancia.Tatoeba #9636961 by Brasiliense, translation #12574900 by CK
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rodrigo and Camila are at a fruit market.
- RodrigoEsta melancia parece bem doce.This watermelon looks very sweet.
- CamilaEu acho que sim, Rodrigo.I think so, Rodrigo.
- RodrigoVamos levar uma melancia para casa?Shall we take a watermelon home?
- CamilaSim, Camila quer comer agora!Yes, Camila wants to eat it now!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “watermelon” translations and entries melancia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries melancia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
