Portuguese · Everyday expressions
How to pronounce bons sonhos in Portuguese
bons sonhos
Sweet dreams
Brazilian Portuguese; reference: Brazil · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
bons sonhos is pronounced /ˈbõ ˈsõ.ɲus/ in Portuguese. In bons sonhos: For vowels marked with a tilde, let air resonate through the nose while the mouth keeps its vowel shape. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in bons sonhos
Read bons sonhos in these IPA segments: ˈbõ · ˈsõ · ɲus. 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.Nasal resonance
In bons sonhos: For vowels marked with a tilde, let air resonate through the nose while the mouth keeps its vowel shape.
Watch out: Do not add a strong n or m just because an English respelling uses one to suggest nasality.
2.The nh sound /ɲ/
In bons sonhos: Make a single palatal consonant, with the middle of the tongue raised. It resembles the linked “ny” in “canyon”.
Watch out: Do not pronounce n and h as two separate consonants.
3.Back rounded vowels
In bons sonhos: Round your lips and keep the tongue toward the back. Follow the closer /u/ or more relaxed /ʊ/ quality written in the IPA.
Watch out: Avoid inserting a y sound before the vowel unless the IPA includes /j/.
Hear it in context
Vou dormir. Bons sonhos!
I'm going to sleep. Sweet dreams!
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 bons sonhos. 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 bons sonhos
How do you pronounce bons sonhos?
bons sonhos is pronounced /ˈbõ ˈsõ.ɲus/ in Portuguese. In bons sonhos: For vowels marked with a tilde, let air resonate through the nose while the mouth keeps its vowel shape. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In bons sonhos: For vowels marked with a tilde, let air resonate through the nose while the mouth keeps its vowel shape. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
