Portuguese · Food & drink
How to pronounce xícara in Portuguese
xícara
Cup
Brazilian Portuguese; reference: Brazil · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
xícara is pronounced /ˈʃi.ka.ɾɐ/ in Portuguese. In xícara: Touch the tongue tip briefly to the ridge behind the upper teeth, then move straight to the next sound. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in xícara
Read xícara in these IPA segments: ˈʃi · ka · ɾɐ. 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 light tapped r /ɾ/
In xícara: Touch the tongue tip briefly to the ridge behind the upper teeth, then move straight to the next sound.
Watch out: Do not hold a strong English r in this position.
2.Front-vowel position
In xícara: 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.
3.An open vowel
In xícara: 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”.
Hear it in context
Quero uma xícara de café bem quente.
I want a cup of coffee, nice and hot.
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 xícara. 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 xícara
How do you pronounce xícara?
xícara is pronounced /ˈʃi.ka.ɾɐ/ in Portuguese. In xícara: Touch the tongue tip briefly to the ridge behind the upper teeth, then move straight to the next sound. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In xícara: Touch the tongue tip briefly to the ridge behind the upper teeth, then move straight to the next sound. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
