Portuguese (Portugal) · Pronunciation Guide

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

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

vazio is pronounced with the stress described below. In IPA it is written vɐ.ˈzi.u. It means “empty.” Say "vuh-ZEE-oo", with a reduced first syllable and stress on "ZI".

Say "vuh-ZEE-oo", with a reduced first syllable and stress on "ZI".

vazio vɐ.ˈzi.u

Stress falls on "zi"; the initial "va" is unstressed and reduces toward a quick "vuh".

Listen: vazio

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Sound it out

va Unstressed, reduced toward a short "vuh" rather than a full "vah".

zi The stressed syllable, a clear "ZEE", with a voiced z sound as in English "zoo".

o A short, tight final "oo".

Hear it in a sentence

O frigorífico está vazio.

The fridge is empty.

Listen: O frigorífico está vazio.

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"O frigorífico está vazio" uses "estar" because emptiness here is a changeable state of the fridge's contents, not a permanent property of the object. "Frigorífico" is the standard European Portuguese word for "fridge", while Brazilian Portuguese typically uses "geladeira" — another useful EP-specific vocabulary marker. Word order again places the adjective after the noun.

Where English speakers slip

Learners sometimes stress the first syllable out of habit ("VA-zio"), but the correct stress is firmly on the second syllable, "va-ZI-o". Also remember the initial unstressed "a" should be reduced, not given the full clear "ah" quality an English speaker might default to from the spelling.