Portuguese · Nature, Animals & Weather

"Fox" in Portuguese: raposa

a raposa

Say it: ha-POH-zahfeminine · a raposanoun/ʁa.ˈpo.za/

Fox in Portuguese is a raposa. Kids’ books and countryside talk use a raposa; calling someone raposa can hint at sly cleverness.

Wildlife park

A raposa passou perto da cerca ao entardecer.
The fox passed near the fence at dusk.
Practice Portuguese out loud

Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free

How to pronounce raposa

Say it

ha-POH-zah

/ʁa.ˈpo.za/

ha-POH-zah. Soft Brazilian r at the start in many regions.

"Fox" in Portuguese: quick reference

PortugueseEnglish
a raposathe fox

Standard animal noun.

raposinhalittle fox

Diminutive, soft or cute.

raposa vermelhared fox

Species talk.

astuto como uma raposasly as a fox

Figurative compliment or jab.

How to use raposa in real life

  1. 1Wildlife park

    A raposa passou perto da cerca ao entardecer.

    The fox passed near the fence at dusk.

    Simple sighting.

  2. 2Kids’ story

    Na fábula, a raposa engana o corvo com elogios.

    In the fable, the fox tricks the crow with praise.

    Classic tale reference.

  3. 3Friendly tease

    Você é uma raposa nos jogos de tabuleiro.

    You’re a fox at board games.

    Metaphor for clever play.

Mistakes English speakers make with raposa

Incorrect: O raposo correu.

Correct: A raposa correu.

The usual word is feminine: a raposa.

Incorrect: Vi um fox no mato.

Correct: Vi uma raposa no mato.

Say raposa, not English fox.

Good to know

Raposa shows up in Brazilian children’s books and in light teasing about clever friends. It is less common as a city pet word than dog or cat, so people often mean the wild animal or the metaphor.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Spotting animals on a farm trip

  1. ChatPal

    Olha, tem uma raposa atrás do celeiro!

    Look, there’s a fox behind the barn!

  2. You

    Nossa, a raposa está magra demais.

    Wow, the fox looks too thin.

  3. ChatPal

    Melhor não alimentar a raposa de perto.

    Better not feed the fox up close.

  4. You

    Concordo. Vamos fotografar de longe.

    Agreed. Let’s just photograph from far away.

This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.

Practice this conversation in ChatPal

"Fox" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Fox" in Portuguese

Gender of raposa?

Feminine: a raposa.

Can it mean a sly person?

Yes, in teasing metaphors.

Plural?

As raposas.

Diminutive?

Raposinha.

Learn a word, then use it out loud

  1. Step 1: See it in context
  2. Step 2: Say it out loud
  3. Step 3: Get feedback
  4. Step 4: Use it in real scenarios

Keep reading

Ready to say it out loud?

ChatPal is a voice-first app for practicing real conversations in Portuguese. Try real scenarios and get personalized feedback on your speaking.

Start with 7 days free.