esposa
/isˈpo.zɐ/feminine
The English word 'wife' in Portuguese can be translated as esposa or mulher.
Meaning: female partner in a marriage (noun)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| esposa | /isˈpo.zɐ/ (Brazil) /esˈpo.zɐ/ (Brazil) |
feminine |
| mulher | /muˈʎɛʁ/ (Brazil) /muˈʎɛɾ/ (São Paulo) |
feminine |
Both terms are used to refer to a female partner in a marriage. While esposa specifically denotes a legal wife, mulher is a very common way to refer to one's wife in everyday conversation.
Which one should you use?
esposa is the specific term for a wife, whereas mulher literally translates to 'woman' but is used colloquially to mean 'wife'.
How does it change in a sentence?
To form the plural, esposa becomes esposas and mulher becomes mulheres.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /isˈpo.zɐ/. It has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable.
When do people say it?
In many Portuguese-speaking contexts, saying minha mulher is a natural, everyday way to refer to one's wife.
Did you know?
- While esposa means 'wife', the word esposas in a different context refers to 'handcuffs'.
- The word mulher has a mysterious origin that may be linked to the Proto-Indo-European root for 'milk', suggesting a historical connection to nursing or motherhood.
- The word esposa is part of a large family of cognates across Romance languages, including the Spanish 'esposa' and the Italian 'sposa'.
Examples in context
- Tom ama a esposa.Tom loves his wife.This sentence shows the use of esposa to mean wife.Tatoeba #4395561 by ajdavidl, translation #2548570 by CK
- É a sua ex-mulher.It's your ex-wife.This sentence shows how mulher can be used to refer to an ex-wife.Tatoeba #1664259 by alexmarcelo, translation #1664250 by Spamster
- Sua mulher já foi.Your wife left.This sentence shows the use of mulher to mean wife.Tatoeba #4567751 by carlosalberto, translation #2255471 by CK
- A minha esposa está sempre ao meu lado.My wife is always by my side.
- Minha mulher é inteligente e carinhosa.My wife is smart and loving.
- Amo minha esposa com todo meu coração.I love my wife with all my heart.
- Dona Maria é minha esposa querida.Mrs. Maria is my beloved wife.
- A minha mulher cozinha muito bem.My wife cooks very well.
- 702 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rodrigo is introducing Mariana to a colleague.
- RodrigoEsta é a Mariana, minha esposa.This is Mariana, my wife.
- MarianaMuito prazer em conhecê-la, Mariana.It's a pleasure to meet you, Mariana.
- RodrigoEla é arquiteta e trabalha aqui perto.She is an architect and works near here.
- MarianaQue interessante! Vocês moram aqui na cidade?How interesting! Do you live here in the city?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wife” translations and entries esposa, mulher, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries esposa, mulher, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
