Portuguese · Food & Drink
"Chicken" in Portuguese: frango
o frango
Chicken in Portuguese is o frango. Brazilians order frango grelhado, frango assado, or frango com arroz at lunch. Galinha exists too, but frango is the usual word for the meat on a plate.
Ordering lunch
Eu quero o frango grelhado com salada.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce frango
Say it
FRAHN-goo
/ˈfɾɐn.ɡu/
FRAHN-goo. Soft f, open a, and a light goo at the end.
"Chicken" in Portuguese: quick reference
| Portuguese | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| o frango | chicken (meat) Default word on menus and at home. | Default word on menus and at home. |
| frango grelhado | grilled chicken Common healthy lunch order. | Common healthy lunch order. |
| frango assado | roast chicken Sunday lunch classic. | Sunday lunch classic. |
| a galinha | hen / chicken (animal) More the live bird; less common for meat. | More the live bird; less common for meat. |
| coxinha de frango | chicken coxinha Famous Brazilian snack. | Famous Brazilian snack. |
How to use frango in real life
- 1Ordering lunch
Eu quero o frango grelhado com salada.
I want the grilled chicken with salad.
Frango grelhado shows up on almost every lunch menu.
- 2Cooking at home
Vou temperar o frango com alho e limão.
I'm going to season the chicken with garlic and lemon.
Alho and limão are a classic Brazilian marinade.
- 3At a padaria
Tem coxinha de frango ainda quente?
Do you still have hot chicken coxinhas?
Coxinha de frango is a go-to snack.
Mistakes English speakers make with frango
Incorrect: Eu quero o pollo.
Correct: Eu quero o frango.
Pollo is Spanish/Italian. Portuguese for chicken meat is frango.
Incorrect: Um franga, por favor.
Correct: Um frango, por favor.
Frango is masculine. Franga means a young hen, not the usual food order.
Good to know
In Brazil, frango is everyday protein, from self-service buffets to street snacks. Coxinha de frango and frango a passarinho show up everywhere. On a menu, frango usually means the meat dish, while galinha leans toward the animal or older recipes.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Choosing lunch at a self-service
ChatPal
Você pega frango ou peixe hoje?
Are you getting chicken or fish today?
You
Frango grelhado. Parece bom.
Grilled chicken. It looks good.
ChatPal
Esse frango está bem temperado.
That chicken is well seasoned.
You
Perfeito. Quero esse frango mesmo.
Perfect. I want that chicken.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Chicken" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Chicken" in Portuguese
Is frango or galinha correct?
Frango for meat on a plate. Galinha more for the animal or traditional dishes.
How do I order grilled chicken?
Frango grelhado, por favor.
What is coxinha de frango?
A fried snack filled with shredded chicken, very Brazilian.
Is chicken gender masculine?
Yes: o frango, um frango.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
