Portuguese · Food & Drink

"Cheese" in Portuguese: queijo

o queijo

Say it: KAY-zhoomasculine · o queijonoun/ˈkej.ʒu/

Cheese in Portuguese is o queijo. Markets sell queijo minas, queijo prato, and more. Pão de queijo is the beloved cheese bread snack.

Snack order

Quero um pão de queijo bem quentinho.
I want a nice hot cheese bread.
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How to pronounce queijo

Say it

KAY-zhoo

/ˈkej.ʒu/

KAY-zhoo. The j sounds like the s in measure.

"Cheese" in Portuguese: quick reference

PortugueseEnglish
o queijocheese

Default noun.

pão de queijocheese bread

Brazilian snack classic.

queijo minasMinas cheese

Fresh regional style.

fatia de queijoslice of cheese

Sandwiches and boards.

How to use queijo in real life

  1. 1Snack order

    Quero um pão de queijo bem quentinho.

    I want a nice hot cheese bread.

    Pão de queijo keeps queijo visible.

  2. 2Market stall

    Me corta duzentos gramas desse queijo.

    Cut me two hundred grams of that cheese.

    Buying by weight names o queijo.

  3. 3Sandwich

    Tem queijo sem lactose nessa lanchonete?

    Do you have lactose-free cheese at this snack bar?

    Dietary questions still use queijo.

Mistakes English speakers make with queijo

Incorrect: a queijo

Correct: o queijo

Queijo is masculine: o queijo.

Incorrect: Eu quero cheese no pão.

Correct: Eu quero queijo no pão.

Use queijo in Portuguese.

Good to know

Brazil's cheese map is regional: Minas, Coalho on northeastern beaches, and endless supermarket brands. Pão de queijo is breakfast, airport fuel, and comfort food in one bite.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Building a simple board for friends

  1. ChatPal

    A gente coloca queijo com geleia ou queijo?

    Shall we put cheese with jam or just cheese?

  2. You

    Os dois. Eu amo queijo com figo.

    Both. I love cheese with fig.

  3. ChatPal

    Perfeito. Eu corto o queijo em cubos.

    Perfect. I'll cut the cheese into cubes.

  4. You

    Eu busco as torradas.

    I'll grab the toast.

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"Cheese" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Cheese" in Portuguese

How do I say cheese bread?

Pão de queijo.

Is queijo masculine?

Yes: o queijo, um queijo.

What is queijo minas?

A fresh cheese style associated with Minas Gerais.

How do I ask for a slice?

Uma fatia de queijo, por favor.

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