Portuguese (Brazil) · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "o papel" in Portuguese (Brazil)?

Q: How do you pronounce o papel in Portuguese (Brazil)?

o papel is pronounced with the stress described below. In IPA it is written /u paˈpɛw/. It means “paper.” oo pah-PEH-oo. Stress at the end, an open e, and the l turns into a w.

oo pah-PEH-oo. Stress at the end, an open e, and the l turns into a w.

o papel /u paˈpɛw/

End-stressed, as l-final words are by rule, unmarked — the same pattern as azul, legal and animal. The plural is "papéis," where the vocalized l merges into the plural ending and an accent appears to hold the open vowel, which is the standard -el to -éis conversion.

Listen: o papel

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Sound it out

pa A crisp, breathless p and an open "ah," unstressed. Both p's in this word are dry, without the puff of air English adds.

pel A second unaspirated p, then an open e — jaw dropped, like "bet" — and an l that closes the syllable and therefore vocalizes fully to a w. The ending is "peh-oo," all in one beat.

Hear it in a sentence

Preciso de uma folha de papel.

I need a sheet of paper.

Listen: Preciso de uma folha de papel.

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"Preciso de uma folha de papel" uses "precisar de," so both "de"s are quick "djee" syllables. "Folha" contains an lh, which is a real l-family consonant — a direct contrast with the vocalized l at the end of "papel" two words later.

Where English speakers slip

Pronouncing a real l gives "pah-PELL," which is what English and Spanish both suggest. It's "PEH-oo." Front-stressing it is the second English habit, and closing the vowel is the third. The plural "papéis" is a fourth thing to learn rather than derive.