Portuguese (Portugal) · Pronunciation Guide

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

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

olá is pronounced with the stress described below. In IPA it is written [uˈla]. It means “hi.” oo-LAH — say it like 'ooh-LAH' with the stress punching the second syllable; the first 'o' is a quick, weak 'oo', not a full 'oh'.

oo-LAH — say it like 'ooh-LAH' with the stress punching the second syllable; the first 'o' is a quick, weak 'oo', not a full 'oh'.

olá [uˈla]

Stress falls on the second syllable (marked by the accent); the unstressed initial 'o' reduces to a short 'oo' sound rather than 'oh'.

Listen: olá

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Sound it out

o Unstressed, it collapses to a short 'oo' sound (like the 'u' in 'put'), not the full 'oh' an English speaker expects from the letter 'o'.

lá Stressed and clear: an English 'l' followed by an open 'ah' vowel, like the 'a' in 'father', held briefly.

Hear it in a sentence

Olá! Tudo bem?

Hi! How are you?

Listen: Olá! Tudo bem?

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"Olá" is a neutral, all-purpose greeting usable at any time of day and with anyone, formal or informal. "Tudo bem?" literally asks "all well?" and functions as a casual check-in, much like "how's it going?" — it doesn't require a detailed answer.

Where English speakers slip

English speakers often say "oh-LAH," giving full weight to the first 'o'; in European Portuguese it should be reduced and swallowed toward 'oo'. Brazilian Portuguese speakers tend to pronounce that first vowel more fully and openly, so overdoing it is a common giveaway of Brazilian-influenced pronunciation.