Portuguese · Difficult words
How to pronounce girafa in Portuguese
girafa
Giraffe
Brazilian Portuguese; reference: Brazil · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
girafa is pronounced /ʒiˈɾa.fɐ/ in Portuguese. In girafa: 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 girafa
Read girafa in these IPA segments: ʒi · ˈɾa · fɐ. 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 light tapped r /ɾ/
In girafa: 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.Front-vowel position
In girafa: Listen for the distinction between the closer /i/ and the more relaxed /ɪ/ when shown. Keep your tongue toward the front.
Watch out: Do not decide vowel quality from English spelling alone.
3.An open vowel
In girafa: 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
A girafa comeu folhas bem no alto.
The giraffe ate leaves way up high.
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 girafa. 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 girafa
How do you pronounce girafa?
girafa is pronounced /ʒiˈɾa.fɐ/ in Portuguese. In girafa: 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 girafa: 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.
