Portuguese · Difficult words
How to pronounce pessoa in Portuguese
pessoa
Person
Brazilian Portuguese; reference: Brazil · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
pessoa is pronounced /peˈso(w).ɐ/ in Portuguese. In pessoa: Keep the tongue toward the front and sustain a single /e/ vowel. Listen for its exact height in the recording. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in pessoa
Read pessoa in these IPA segments: pe · ˈso(w) · ɐ. 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 steady /e/ vowel
In pessoa: 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.
2.A steady /o/ vowel
In pessoa: 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”.
3.A clear /s/
In pessoa: Let air pass through a narrow groove near the front of the mouth. Keep the sound unvoiced.
Watch out: Do not add voicing and turn /s/ into /z/.
Hear it in context
Tem uma pessoa na frente e depois é a nossa vez.
There's one person ahead and then it's our turn.
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 pessoa. 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 pessoa
How do you pronounce pessoa?
pessoa is pronounced /peˈso(w).ɐ/ in Portuguese. In pessoa: Keep the tongue toward the front and sustain a single /e/ vowel. Listen for its exact height in the recording. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In pessoa: Keep the tongue toward the front and sustain a single /e/ vowel. Listen for its exact height in the recording. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
