Portuguese · Food & drink
How to pronounce sal in Portuguese
sal
Salt
Brazilian Portuguese; reference: Brazil · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
sal is pronounced /ˈsaw/ in Portuguese. In sal: Open the jaw for the a-like vowel shown in the IPA. Keep it continuous and follow the recording’s tongue position. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in sal
The reference transcription for sal is /ˈsaw/. Read adjacent consonants together without inserting extra vowels. The mark /ˈ/ comes immediately before the main stressed syllable. Give that syllable a little more prominence without swallowing the others.
1.An open vowel
In sal: 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”.
2.A clear /s/
In sal: 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
Falta sal nesta sopa — só um pouquinho.
This soup needs salt — just a little.
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 sal. 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 sal
How do you pronounce sal?
sal is pronounced /ˈsaw/ in Portuguese. In sal: Open the jaw for the a-like vowel shown in the IPA. Keep it continuous and follow the recording’s tongue position. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In sal: Open the jaw for the a-like vowel shown in the IPA. Keep it continuous and follow the recording’s tongue position. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
