Portuguese · Difficult words
How to pronounce telefone in Portuguese
telefone
Phone
Brazilian Portuguese; reference: Brazil · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
telefone is pronounced /te.leˈfõ.ni/ in Portuguese. In telefone: 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 telefone
Read telefone in these IPA segments: te · le · ˈfõ · ni. 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 telefone: 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.A steady /e/ vowel
In telefone: 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.Front-vowel position
In telefone: Listen for the distinction between the closer /i/ and the more relaxed /ɪ/ when shown. Keep your tongue toward the front.
Watch out: Do not decide vowel quality from English spelling alone.
Hear it in context
Me passa o seu telefone, por favor?
Can you give me your phone number, please?
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 telefone. 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 telefone
How do you pronounce telefone?
telefone is pronounced /te.leˈfõ.ni/ in Portuguese. In telefone: 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 telefone: 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.
