Portuguese (Portugal) · Pronunciation Guide

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

Say "saw" with an open mouth — a short, single syllable, not "so" or "soh".

só [sɔ]

Single syllable with an open, accented "ó"; the accent mark shows this is an open [ɔ] sound, distinct from a closed "o".

Listen: só

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Sound it out

s Like English "s" at the start of a word — stays a crisp "s", it only softens to "sh" at the end of syllables.

ó An open "aw" sound, like the vowel in English "saw" or "law", marked by the acute accent.

Hear it in a sentence

Tenho só cinco euros.

I only have five euros.

Listen: Tenho só cinco euros.

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"Tenho só cinco euros" (I only have five euros) uses "só" as a restrictive adverb meaning "only/just", placed right before the quantity it limits. This is a very natural, everyday alternative to the more formal "apenas", and beginners should learn both.

Where English speakers slip

English speakers often round the vowel too much, saying something closer to "soh" (like "so") instead of the more open "aw" sound the accent mark calls for. It's a short, crisp syllable — don't stretch it into two beats or soften the "s" the way you would at the end of a word.