Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| oeste | /oˈɛs.t͡ʃi/ (Brazil) /oˈɛʃ.t͡ʃi/ (Rio de Janeiro) |
masculine |
| ocidente | /o.siˈdẽ.t͡ʃi/ (Brazil) /ɔ.siˈdẽ.tɨ/ (Portugal) |
masculine |
| poente | /poˈẽ.t͡ʃi/ (Brazil) /ˈpwẽ.tɨ/ (Portugal) |
masculine |
The term used depends on whether you are discussing a compass direction, a geopolitical entity or a poetic setting. oeste is the standard term for the cardinal direction, while ocidente refers to the West as a cultural or geopolitical concept. The adjective ocidental can be used for both geographic and cultural contexts, meaning 'western' or 'towards the west'.
What does it mean word for word?
The word poente is derived from the verb pôr (to put or to set), referring specifically to the setting sun.
Which one should you use?
Use oeste when referring to the cardinal direction on a compass or a specific geographic direction. Use ocidente when referring to 'the West' as a geopolitical or cultural entity, such as Western civilization. For poetic or literary contexts, especially when referring to the direction where the sun sets, use poente.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Portugal, poente is an alternative way to refer to the west and is often used in literary contexts.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
All three forms, oeste, ocidente and poente, are masculine nouns. The related form ocidental can function as both an adjective (western) and an adverb (towards the west).
How do you pronounce it?
The word oeste is pronounced /oˈɛs.tʃi/. It has 3 syllables, and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- The word oeste is an unexpected relative of the English word 'west', as both were borrowed from the same Germanic roots via French.
- While oeste is the standard compass term, poente is frequently used in traditional Portuguese architecture and real estate to describe which way a window faces.
- The word ocidente comes from the Latin 'occidere', which means 'to fall' or 'to sink'.
Examples in context
- Vamos para o oeste.Let's go west.This sentence shows how to use oeste for direction.Tatoeba #11229798 by carlosalberto, translation #11229785 by carlosalberto
- Eu sou da costa oeste.I'm from the West Coast.This sentence uses oeste to describe a specific geographic region.Tatoeba #1912476 by alexmarcelo, translation #1912020 by Spamster
- Ela voltará para o oeste.She'll go back west.This sentence demonstrates the use of oeste regarding movement.Tatoeba #12560479 by Advanced, translation #12456688 by zogwarg
- A nova sucursal estará localizada a oeste da cidade.The new branch will be located west of the city.
- Vamos para a praia no lado oeste da ilha amanhã.Let's go to the beach on the west side of the island tomorrow.
- 72 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mariana and Felipe are looking at a map during a road trip.
- MarianaFelipe, para qual lado devemos ir?Felipe, which way should we go?
- FelipeO mapa diz que o destino fica ao oeste.The map says the destination is to the west.
- MarianaEntão, vamos seguir para o oeste.Then, let's head west.
- FelipeSim, eu vou dirigir nessa direção.Yes, I will drive in that direction.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “west” translations and entries oeste, ocidente, poente, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ocidente, oeste, poente, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
