Portuguese · Difficult words
How to pronounce ovelha in Portuguese
ovelha
Sheep
Brazilian Portuguese; reference: Brazil · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
ovelha is pronounced /oˈve.ʎɐ/ in Portuguese. In ovelha: 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 ovelha
Read ovelha in these IPA segments: o · ˈve · ʎɐ. 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 ovelha: 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 ovelha: 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.A steady /o/ vowel
In ovelha: Round the lips and keep the tongue toward the back for a steady /o/. Follow the length indicated in the transcription.
Watch out: Avoid automatically turning a single /o/ into the moving vowel of English “go”.
Hear it in context
A ovelha branca ficou perto da cerca.
The white sheep stayed near the fence.
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 ovelha. 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 ovelha
How do you pronounce ovelha?
ovelha is pronounced /oˈve.ʎɐ/ in Portuguese. In ovelha: 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 ovelha: 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.
