Portuguese (Portugal) · Pronunciation Guide

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

Rhymes roughly with English "now" but starting with "m" — like "mow" in "how now brown cow", said "mau".

mau ˈmaw

A single syllable containing the diphthong "au", so stress is automatic; just make sure both vowel sounds are heard.

Listen: mau

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Sound it out

m As in English "man".

au A falling diphthong, gliding from open "ah" to "oo", like the "ow" in English "cow" or "how".

Hear it in a sentence

O tempo está mau hoje.

The weather is bad today.

Listen: O tempo está mau hoje.

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"O tempo está mau hoje" uses "estar" rather than "ser" because weather is a temporary, changeable state. Careful: "mau" (bad, adjective) is a completely different word from "mal" (badly, adverb) — a very common learner mix-up. "Hoje" (today) sits at the end, a normal position for time expressions.

Where English speakers slip

English speakers frequently confuse "mau" (bad) with "mal" (badly/poorly) since both translate close together — but "mau" describes a noun ("o tempo está mau") while "mal" modifies a verb ("ele fala mal"). Pronunciation-wise, don't shorten the diphthong to a plain "ah" — you need the full glide toward "oo" at the end.