Portuguese · Nature, Animals & Weather
"Dog" in Portuguese: cachorro
o cachorro
Note: PT-PT: o cão
Dog in Portuguese is o cachorro in Brazil. In Portugal the everyday word is o cão, which Brazilians also know and use in set terms like cão-guia (guide dog). A female dog is a cachorra or a cadela.
At the park
Posso fazer carinho no seu cachorro?Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce cachorro
Say it
kah-SHOH-hoo
/kaˈʃoʁu/
Stress the middle syllable: kah-SHOH-hoo. The ch is always "sh", and the double rr sounds like an English h in most of Brazil. Cão is a single nasal syllable, a bit like "cow" said through the nose.
"Dog" in Portuguese: quick reference
| Portuguese | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| o cachorro | dog The everyday word in Brazil. | The everyday word in Brazil. |
| o cão | dog PT-PT everyday word. In Brazil it sounds formal or appears in set terms. | PT-PT everyday word. In Brazil it sounds formal or appears in set terms. |
| o cachorrinho | little dog, puppy The diminutive, used for small or cute dogs. | The diminutive, used for small or cute dogs. |
| o filhote | puppy Brazil. In Portugal, cachorro itself means puppy. | Brazil. In Portugal, cachorro itself means puppy. |
| o vira-lata | mutt, mixed-breed dog Brazil. Literally "can-tipper", from dogs tipping over trash cans. | Brazil. Literally "can-tipper", from dogs tipping over trash cans. |
How to use cachorro in real life
- 1At the park
Posso fazer carinho no seu cachorro?
Can I pet your dog?
Fazer carinho means to pet or stroke. It is polite to ask first.
- 2Talking about your pets
Eu tenho uma cachorra chamada Pipoca. Ela é vira-lata.
I have a dog called Pipoca. She's a mutt.
For your own female dog, cachorra is completely normal. Pipoca means popcorn, a cute name for a pet.
- 3Reading a gate sign
Cuidado com o cachorro!
Beware of the dog!
In speech Brazilians say cachorro; gate signs may still print cão.
Mistakes English speakers make with cachorro
Incorrect: O meu cachorro tem dez anos. (in Portugal)
Correct: O meu cão tem dez anos.
In Portugal cachorro means puppy, so a ten-year-old cachorro sounds funny there. Use cão in Portugal and cachorro in Brazil.
Incorrect: cachorro as ka-CHOR-oh, with an English ch and r
Correct: cachorro as kah-SHOH-hoo
Portuguese ch is always "sh", and rr sounds like an h in most of Brazil. The final o is a short "oo".
Good to know
Brazil has an unofficial favorite dog: the vira-lata caramelo, a street mutt with a caramel-colored coat. It has become a kind of national mascot and a popular meme, and in 2020 many people campaigned online to put it on the new 200-real note, which ended up showing a maned wolf. Be careful with cachorra and cadela outside of talk about pets: both are also rude slang for a woman.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Meeting a dog owner at the park
ChatPal
Que cachorro fofo! Qual é o nome dele?
What a cute dog! What's his name?
You
Ele se chama Thor. É vira-lata e tem três anos.
His name is Thor. He's a mutt and he's three.
ChatPal
Que gracinha! Ele gosta de brincar com outros cachorros?
How sweet! Does he like playing with other dogs?
You
Gosta muito! Pode soltar o seu cachorro também.
He loves it! You can let your dog off the leash too.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Dog" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Dog" in Portuguese
Is dog cachorro or cão in Portuguese?
Both are correct. In Brazil, say o cachorro in everyday speech. In Portugal, say o cão. Brazilians understand cão, and it appears in terms like cão-guia and on warning signs.
What do you call a female dog in Portuguese?
A cachorra or a cadela. Both are normal when you talk about an animal. Just don't use them to describe a person, because both are also insults.
What is a vira-lata?
A vira-lata is a mixed-breed dog, a mutt. The word comes from virar (to tip over) and lata (can), because street dogs knock over trash cans. It is not rude when you talk about a dog.
How do you say puppy in Portuguese?
In Brazil, say o filhote or o cachorrinho. In Portugal, o cachorro is the word for a puppy, which is why the same word can confuse people between the two countries.
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
