Portuguese · Travel & Getting Around
"East" in Portuguese: leste
o leste
Note: also: o este
East in Portuguese is o leste. You may also hear o este; city talk uses zona leste.
City
Ela mora na zona leste de São Paulo.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce leste
Say it
LESS-chee
/ˈles.tʃi/
LESS-chee
"East" in Portuguese: quick reference
| Portuguese | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| o leste | the east Default Brazil. | Default Brazil. |
| o este | the east Also heard. | Also heard. |
| zona leste | east zone City areas. | City areas. |
| sentido leste | eastbound Roads. | Roads. |
How to use leste in real life
- 1City
Ela mora na zona leste de São Paulo.
She lives in São Paulo’s east zone.
Zona leste.
- 2Driving
Siga sentido leste até o posto.
Follow eastbound until the gas station.
Sentido leste.
- 3Map
O sol nasce no leste todas as manhãs.
The sun rises in the east every morning.
Compass fact.
Mistakes English speakers make with leste
Incorrect: A leste fica a praia.
Correct: O leste fica… / A praia fica a leste.
As a noun, o leste is masculine; as a direction adverb, a leste works.
Incorrect: Vamos para o east.
Correct: Vamos para o leste.
Use leste (or este).
Good to know
Leste is the everyday Brazilian compass word; este appears in more formal or European-leaning speech. Big cities label neighborhoods zona leste.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Giving directions across town
ChatPal
O mercado fica a leste da praça?
Is the market east of the square?
You
Fica. Siga sentido leste duas ruas.
Yes. Go eastbound two streets.
ChatPal
Perfeito. Obrigada pelo mapa mental.
Perfect. Thanks for the mental map.
You
De nada. Tem uma padaria no caminho.
You’re welcome. There’s a bakery on the way.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"East" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "East" in Portuguese
Leste vs este?
Both mean east; leste is common in Brazil.
East zone?
Zona leste.
Eastbound?
Sentido leste.
West?
Oeste.
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
