Portuguese · Difficult words
How to pronounce baleia in Portuguese
baleia
Whale
Brazilian Portuguese; reference: Brazil · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
baleia is pronounced /baˈlej.ɐ/ in Portuguese. In baleia: Keep the tongue toward the front and sustain a single /e/ vowel. Listen for its exact height in the recording. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in baleia
Read baleia in these IPA segments: ba · ˈlej · ɐ. Dots and stress marks identify the boundaries shown in the reference; these symbols are not English spelling. The mark /ˈ/ comes immediately before the main stressed syllable. Give that syllable a little more prominence without swallowing the others.
1.A steady /e/ vowel
In baleia: Keep the tongue toward the front and sustain a single /e/ vowel. Listen for its exact height in the recording.
Watch out: English “ay” often ends with a glide; do not automatically carry that glide into this vowel.
2.An open vowel
In baleia: Open the jaw for the a-like vowel shown in the IPA. Keep it continuous and follow the recording’s tongue position.
Watch out: Do not substitute the English diphthong in “day”.
Hear it in context
Avistamos uma baleia longe da costa.
We spotted a whale far from the coast.
Listen once, say it aloud, then replay at 1.00×. Keep the word connected to the surrounding sentence rather than giving every syllable equal weight.
Pronunciation and variety
The recording uses a Brazilian Portuguese voice for baleia. Portuguese in Portugal and other regions can differ in vowel reduction and consonants. The reference may list several realizations; the transcription here is selected for a Brazilian or unmarked pronunciation.
The English-style respelling is approximate. Use the IPA and recording together for vowel quality and consonants that do not have an exact English equivalent.
Meaning and everyday use
Questions about baleia
How do you pronounce baleia?
baleia is pronounced /baˈlej.ɐ/ in Portuguese. In baleia: Keep the tongue toward the front and sustain a single /e/ vowel. Listen for its exact height in the recording. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In baleia: Keep the tongue toward the front and sustain a single /e/ vowel. Listen for its exact height in the recording. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
