Portuguese · Food & Drink
"Cup" in Portuguese: xícara
a xícara
Note: PT-PT: a chávena
Cup in Portuguese is a xícara in Brazil. European Portuguese often says a chávena. Say Uma xícara de café. Copo is a drinking glass — different word.
Breakfast
Quero uma xícara de café bem quente.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce xícara
Say it
SHEE-kah-rah
/ˈʃi.ka.ɾa/
a SHEE-kah-rah
"Cup" in Portuguese: quick reference
| Portuguese | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| a xícara | cup (BR) Brazilian word. | Brazilian word. |
| a chávena | cup (PT-PT) European Portuguese. | European Portuguese. |
| xícara de café | cup of coffee Classic order. | Classic order. |
| xícara de chá | cup of tea Tea. | Tea. |
How to use xícara in real life
- 1Breakfast
Quero uma xícara de café bem quente.
I want a cup of coffee, nice and hot.
Café order.
- 2Kitchen
Lava a xícara azul e deixa no escorredor.
Wash the blue cup and leave it in the rack.
Chore.
- 3Measuring
A receita pede meia xícara de farinha.
The recipe asks for half a cup of flour.
Cooking measure.
Mistakes English speakers make with xícara
Incorrect: Uma cup de chá.
Correct: Uma xícara de chá.
Use xícara in Brazil.
Incorrect: Um xícara de café.
Correct: Uma xícara de café.
Feminine: a xícara.
Good to know
Xícara is the coffee-and-tea cup in Brazil; chávena is the usual European Portuguese word — note it on PT-PT menus. A disposable plastic cup is still often called copo.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Making tea for a guest
ChatPal
Você prefere xícara grande ou pequena?
Do you prefer a big or small cup?
You
Xícara grande, por favor.
A big cup, please.
ChatPal
Tem outra xícara no armário de cima.
There’s another cup in the top cupboard.
You
Achei. Obrigada.
Found it. Thanks.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Cup" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Cup" in Portuguese
Cup in Brazil?
A xícara.
PT-PT word?
Often a chávena.
Cup of coffee?
Uma xícara de café.
Xícara vs copo?
Xícara is a cup; copo is a glass.
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- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
