Portuguese · Difficult words
How to pronounce ruim in Portuguese
ruim
Bad
Brazilian Portuguese; reference: Brazil · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
ruim is pronounced /ʁuˈĩ/ in Portuguese. In ruim: For vowels marked with a tilde, let air resonate through the nose while the mouth keeps its vowel shape. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in ruim
Read ruim in these IPA segments: ʁu · ˈĩ. 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.Nasal resonance
In ruim: For vowels marked with a tilde, let air resonate through the nose while the mouth keeps its vowel shape.
Watch out: Do not add a strong n or m just because an English respelling uses one to suggest nasality.
2.Back rounded vowels
In ruim: 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
Hoje está um dia ruim para ir à praia.
Today is a bad day to go to the beach.
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 ruim. 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 ruim
How do you pronounce ruim?
ruim is pronounced /ʁuˈĩ/ in Portuguese. In ruim: For vowels marked with a tilde, let air resonate through the nose while the mouth keeps its vowel shape. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In ruim: For vowels marked with a tilde, let air resonate through the nose while the mouth keeps its vowel shape. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
