Portuguese · Difficult words
How to pronounce sul in Portuguese
sul
South
Brazilian Portuguese; reference: Brazil · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
sul is pronounced /ˈsuw/ in Portuguese. In sul: Round your lips and keep the tongue toward the back. Follow the closer /u/ or more relaxed /ʊ/ quality written in the IPA. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in sul
The reference transcription for sul is /ˈsuw/. 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.Back rounded vowels
In sul: 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/.
2.A clear /s/
In sul: 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
Minha família mora no sul do Brasil.
My family lives in the south of Brazil.
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 sul. 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 sul
How do you pronounce sul?
sul is pronounced /ˈsuw/ in Portuguese. In sul: Round your lips and keep the tongue toward the back. Follow the closer /u/ or more relaxed /ʊ/ quality written in the IPA. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In sul: Round your lips and keep the tongue toward the back. Follow the closer /u/ or more relaxed /ʊ/ quality written in the IPA. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
