Portuguese · Difficult words
How to pronounce joelho in Portuguese
joelho
Knee
Brazilian Portuguese; reference: Brazil · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
joelho is pronounced /ʒuˈe.ʎu/ in Portuguese. In joelho: Raise the middle of the tongue and let air pass around the sides. Join the sound smoothly to the next vowel. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in joelho
Read joelho in these IPA segments: ʒu · ˈe · ʎu. 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.The lh sound /ʎ/
In joelho: Raise the middle of the tongue and let air pass around the sides. Join the sound smoothly to the next vowel.
Watch out: An English l followed by a separate h will not produce this sound.
2.A steady /e/ vowel
In joelho: 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.
3.Back rounded vowels
In joelho: 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
Sinto uma dor no joelho depois da corrida.
I feel pain in my knee after the run.
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 joelho. 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 joelho
How do you pronounce joelho?
joelho is pronounced /ʒuˈe.ʎu/ in Portuguese. In joelho: Raise the middle of the tongue and let air pass around the sides. Join the sound smoothly to the next vowel. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In joelho: Raise the middle of the tongue and let air pass around the sides. Join the sound smoothly to the next vowel. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
