Portuguese · People & Family

"King" in Portuguese: rei

o rei

Say it: haymasculine · o reinoun/ˈʁej/

King in Portuguese is o rei. Use o rei in history and fairy tales, and rei de copas for the king of hearts in cards.

Reading to a child

No conto, o rei morava num castelo alto.
In the story, the king lived in a tall castle.
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How to pronounce rei

Say it

hay

/ˈʁej/

hay

"King" in Portuguese: quick reference

PortugueseEnglish
o reithe king

Default noun.

rei e rainhaking and queen

Royal pair.

rei de copasking of hearts

Card games.

o rei do futebolthe king of football

Nickname praise (Pelé era).

How to use rei in real life

  1. 1Reading to a child

    No conto, o rei morava num castelo alto.

    In the story, the king lived in a tall castle.

    Fairy-tale setting.

  2. 2Card night

    Joguei o rei de espadas e ganhei a rodada.

    I played the king of spades and won the round.

    Cards.

  3. 3Museum caption

    O retrato mostra o rei com a coroa dourada.

    The portrait shows the king with the golden crown.

    History exhibit.

Mistakes English speakers make with rei

Incorrect: O king chegou.

Correct: O rei chegou.

Use rei, not English king.

Incorrect: A rei é justo.

Correct: O rei é justo.

Rei is masculine: o rei.

Good to know

Brazil is a republic, so rei shows up more in stories, cards, Carnival themes, and nicknames than in daily politics. Rei do… is also playful praise for someone who dominates a craft.

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Watching a period film

  1. ChatPal

    Aquele ator faz um rei convincente.

    That actor makes a convincing king.

  2. You

    Faz. O rei dele parece cansado do trono.

    He does. His king looks tired of the throne.

  3. ChatPal

    E a rainha manda mais que o rei.

    And the queen bosses more than the king.

  4. You

    História clássica.

    Classic story.

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"King" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "King" in Portuguese

King and queen?

Rei e rainha.

Card king?

Rei de copas, espadas, etc.

Pronunciation?

Often like English hay in Brazilian accents.

Plural?

Os reis.

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