Portuguese (Portugal) · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "errado" in Portuguese (Portugal)?

Q: How do you pronounce errado in Portuguese (Portugal)?

errado is pronounced with the stress described below. In IPA it is written [ɨ'ʁadu]. It means “wrong.” Say "uh-HAH-doo" — the first e is barely there, and the rr in the middle is that same throaty, guttural r, not a tap.

Say "uh-HAH-doo" — the first e is barely there, and the rr in the middle is that same throaty, guttural r, not a tap.

errado [ɨ'ʁadu]

Stress falls on RA; the initial e reduces to a near-silent schwa, and the double r (rr) is pronounced as a uvular fricative deep in the throat.

Listen: errado

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Sound it out

er The e collapses to a faint "uh," barely more than a breath before the strong r sound that follows.

ra The rr here is the guttural, throat-based r — similar to French r or a soft gargle — followed by an open, clear "ah," which is the stressed syllable.

do A true dental d, tongue against the upper teeth, plus the reduced "oo" ending.

Hear it in a sentence

Isto está errado.

This is wrong.

Listen: Isto está errado.

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"Isto está errado" (This is wrong) uses the neuter demonstrative "isto" (this, referring to an idea or unspecified thing rather than a named object) paired with "estar," since being wrong is usually framed as a current, assessable state rather than a fixed trait. This is a handy, very frequent phrase for correcting mistakes in conversation or in a classroom setting.

Where English speakers slip

As with "correto," the temptation is to soften the rr into a light tap or an English-style r. In European Portuguese the double r is always the strong, guttural throat sound, never a tap — mixing them up (saying a tapped r instead) can even change word meaning in other pairs like "caro" (expensive) versus "carro" (car), so getting this distinction right matters beyond just accent.