palavra
/paˈla.vɾɐ/feminine
In Portuguese, "word" is palavra. Wiktionary also lists vocábulo.
Meaning: unit of language (noun)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| palavra | /paˈla.vɾɐ/ (Brazil) /pɐˈla.vɾɐ/ (Portugal) |
feminine |
| vocábulo | /voˈka.bu.lu/ (Brazil) /vuˈka.bu.lu/ (Portugal) |
masculine |
The term refers to a unit of language. You may also encounter the idiomatic expression dar a palavra, which means to give one's word or to make a promise.
Which one should you use?
palavra is the standard, everyday term for a word. In contrast, vocábulo is a more technical or linguistic term.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine noun palavra becomes palavras in its plural form. The masculine noun vocábulo becomes vocábulos in its plural form.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables and the stress is on the second syllable: /paˈla.vɾɐ/.
Did you know?
- The Portuguese palavra is a linguistic cousin of the English 'parable'. Both come from the Greek parabolḗ, which originally meant a 'comparison' or 'illustration'.
- In Brazil, the expression palavra is often used in religious contexts to refer to the 'Word of God' or a sermon, mirroring the biblical sense of 'the Word'.
- Depending on the region, dar a palavra can be used not just for a promise, but as a formal way to grant someone the right to speak during a debate or meeting.
Examples in context
- Qual é a palavra?What's the word?This sentence is useful for asking what the word is.Tatoeba #1320782 by alexmarcelo, translation #1318411 by CM
- Que palavra é essa?What word is this?This sentence is useful for asking which word is being referred to.Tatoeba #1587087 by alexmarcelo, translation #1579412 by fanty
- Isto é uma palavra.This is a word.This sentence is useful for identifying a word.Tatoeba #7200541 by iart61, translation #7672429 by Hideki143
- Como se diz [word] em português, por favor?How do you say [word] in Portuguese, please?
- 486 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Juliana are studying Portuguese together at a cafe.
- GabrielJuliana, como se escreve essa palavra?Juliana, how do you write this word?
- JulianaEscreve com um 'h' no começo.Write it with an 'h' at the beginning.
- GabrielEntendi, obrigado pela ajuda.I understand, thanks for the help.
- JulianaDe nada, Gabriel.You're welcome, Gabriel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “word” translations and entries palavra, vocábulo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries palavra, vocábulo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
