SBE* approximation

Spelling Context IPA* Example

(or others)
most contexts a gato trap
A unstressed at the end of words ɐ gota comma (similar)
B b boca ball1
before a o u k calo score1
C before e i s cedo cease
most contexts d anda dark1
EP
between vowels ð sede this
D before a e o u d dedo dark1
BP before i dia
ʤ jam
before e pronounced as i sede
ɛ anel dress
stressed
e modelo bed (Australian)
E unstressed inside words e veneno bed (Australian)
unstressed at the end of words ɪ fome kit
F f fada fine
before a o u g gato gate
before e i ʒ gelo vision
guia
g gate
gue guerra
G gui aguentar
gw Gwen
linguiça
gua água
gw Gwen
guo ambíguo
H silent hotel –
I i isto see
J ʒ janela vision
beginning of a syllable l lado let (not as in feel)
L end of a syllable
EP ɫ mil feel
BP w mil few
before vowels m mato mouse
after unstressed vowel m amor mouse
nasalises
after stressed vowel and before previous
amo sum (similar)
M unstressed vowel vowel
+m
nasalises
som2 bon (French)
end of a syllable previous
bomba są (Polish)
vowel
before vowels n nota nose
after unstressed vowel n anual nose
nasalises
after stressed vowel and before previous
ano fun (similar)
N unstressed vowel vowel
+n
nasalises
bon (French)
end of a syllable previous tonto
są (Polish)
vowel
ɔ corda lot
stressed
o calor north
O unstressed inside words o coragem north
unstressed at the end of words ʊ calo book (American)
P p pato spin1
quero
k score
quilo
before e i
always cinquenta
Q qu
kw
equino
quest
quadro
before a o kw quest
quota
beginning of words x rua loch
doubled rr x carro loch
BP end of a syllable x carta loch
before vowels, inside words ɾ caro better (American)
after most consonants ɾ braço better (American)
R beginning of words ʁ rua rue (French)
doubled rr ʁ carro rue (French)
EP end of a syllable ɾ carta better (American)
before vowels, inside words ɾ caro better (American)
after most consonants ɾ braço better (American)
mesa
between vowels z zoo
os olhos
beginning of words s sapo sea
BP after a consonant s urso sea
doubled ss s massa sea
festa
end of syllable s sea
uvas
S mesa
between vowels z zoo
os olhos
beginning of words s sapo sea
EP after a consonant s urso sea
doubled ss s massa sea
festa
end of syllable ʃ ship
uvas
EP t sete stop1
before a e o u t teto stop1
T BP before i tia
before e pronounced as i
tʃ sete
chip

U u uva food (American)

V v vida vase
beginning of words ʃ xarope ship
BP s extinto sea
before a consonant
EP ʃ extinto ship
s próximo sea
X z exemplo zoo
between vowels
ʃ caixa ship
ks táxi expert
end of words ks tórax expert
BP s paz sea
end of words
EP ʃ paz ship
Z zero
before vowels z zoo
luz azul
 1. The sounds p t k d b are never “aspirated” like in English – so closer to stop than top.
2. See also nasal diphthongs.

* SBE stands for Southern British English

* IPA stands for International Phonetic Alphabet

Digraphs with H
SBE* approximation
Spelling IPA* Example
(or others)
ch ʃ chave ship
million (similar)
lh ʎ olho
figlio (Italian)
niño (Spanish)
nh ɲ sonho bagno (Italian)
champignon (French)

Diacritics
Accents (only occur in stressed syllables)

Portuguese English SBE* approximation

Accent Spelling IPA* Example
name name (or others)
á a álibi trap
é ɛ sério dress
acento acute
´ agudo accent í i lírio see
ó ɔ pó lot
ú u único food (American)
â ɐ ɐ̃ ânimo comma / fun
acento circumflex
^ circunflexo accent ê e tênis bed (Australian)
ô o ônibus north

Other diacritics

Portuguese English
Accent Context Spelling IPA* Example SSB* approximation
name name
acento grave
` grave accent
marks contraction of
a+a à a àquele trap

ã ɐ̃ irmã fun (similar)

ão3 ɐ̃w̃ não no (but nasal)
~ til tilde marks nasalisation
ãe3 ɐ̃j ̃ mãe fun + boy (but nasal)
õe3 õj̃ aviões choice (but nasal)
c with a soft c sound
ç cê cedilha
cedille before a o u ç s aço sea

3. See below for more details on nasal diphthongs.

 Nasal diphthongs
SSB* approximation
Spelling Context IPA* Example
(or others)
follow
AM unstressed at the end of words ɐ̃w̃4 foram
(but nasal)
também bed (Australian) + boy
at the end of words ẽj̃5
comem (but nasal)
EM
in unstressed one-syllable words ĩj̃ em sing + niño (Spanish)

IM stressed at the end of words ĩj̃ aipim sing + niño (Spanish)

no (American)
OM stressed at the end of words õw̃ marrom
(but nasal)
algum
UM at the end of words ũw̃
fórum
goose (but nasal)

no
ÃO stressed at the end of words ɐ̃w̃ anão
(but nasal)

ÃE stressed at the end of words ɐ̃j ̃ mamãe fun + boy (but nasal)

ÕE stressed at the end of words õj̃ aviões choice (but nasal)

4. /w̃ / is a nasal /w/ – compare now /naw/

5. / j̃/ is a nasal /j/, very similar to the nh sound /ɲ/ – also compare boy /bɔj/