Portuguese · Food & Drink

"Corn" in Portuguese: milho

o milho

MEEL-yoomasculine · o milhonoun/ˈmi.ʎu/

Corn in Portuguese is o milho. Milho verde is sweet corn on the cob. Pipoca comes from milho too, but milho itself is the grain.

Beach vendor

Quero um milho verde com manteiga, por favor.

I want a corn on the cob with butter, please.

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How to pronounce milho

Say it

MEEL-yoo

/ˈmi.ʎu/

MEEL-yoo

"Corn" in Portuguese: quick reference

Portuguese	English	When to use
o milho	corn / maize Default noun.	Default noun.
milho verde	sweet corn / corn on the cob Snack.	Snack.
espiga de milho	ear of corn Whole cob.	Whole cob.
creme de milho	creamed corn Side dish.	Side dish.

How to use milho in real life

1Beach vendor
Quero um milho verde com manteiga, por favor.
I want a corn on the cob with butter, please.
Street food.
2Farm market
Esse milho está doce e bem fresco.
This corn is sweet and really fresh.
Quality.
3Home cooking
Vou fazer creme de milho para o almoço.
I’m going to make creamed corn for lunch.
Kitchen.

Mistakes English speakers make with milho

Incorrect: Eu comprei corn no mercado.

Correct: Eu comprei milho no mercado.

Use milho, not English corn.

Incorrect: A milho está barato.

Correct: O milho está barato.

Milho is masculine: o milho.

Good to know

Milho verde with butter is classic Brazilian beach and festa junina food. Pamonha and curau also come from milho. Pipoca is popcorn—related, but a different everyday word.