Portuguese · Difficult words

How to pronounce coruja in Portuguese

coruja

Owl

koo-ROO-zhuh/kuˈɾu.ʒɐ/

Brazilian Portuguese; reference: Brazil · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.

coruja is pronounced /kuˈɾu.ʒɐ/ in Portuguese. In coruja: Touch the tongue tip briefly to the ridge behind the upper teeth, then move straight to the next sound. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.

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Find the sounds in coruja

Read coruja in these IPA segments: ku · ˈɾu · ʒɐ. 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. 1.A light tapped r /ɾ/

    In coruja: Touch the tongue tip briefly to the ridge behind the upper teeth, then move straight to the next sound.

    Watch out: Do not hold a strong English r in this position.

  2. 2.Back rounded vowels

    In coruja: 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

A coruja dormia no canto do viveiro.

The owl was sleeping in the corner of the enclosure.

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 coruja. 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 coruja

How do you pronounce coruja?

coruja is pronounced /kuˈɾu.ʒɐ/ in Portuguese. In coruja: Touch the tongue tip briefly to the ridge behind the upper teeth, then move straight to the next sound. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.

What should I listen for first?

In coruja: Touch the tongue tip briefly to the ridge behind the upper teeth, then move straight to the next sound. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.

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