Portuguese · Home, Clothes & Daily Life

"Mirror" in Portuguese: espelho

o espelho

es-PEH-lyoomasculine · o espelhonoun/es.ˈpe.ʎu/

Mirror in Portuguese is o espelho (masculine). Look no espelho for in the mirror. Cars have espelho retrovisor; bathrooms have espelho de parede.

Getting ready

Me olhei no espelho antes de sair.

I looked in the mirror before going out.

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How to pronounce espelho

Say it

es-PEH-lyoo

/es.ˈpe.ʎu/

es-PEH-lyoo. Stress PEH; lh like lli in million.

"Mirror" in Portuguese: quick reference

Portuguese	English	When to use
o espelho	the mirror Default noun.	Default noun.
no espelho	in the mirror Looking at yourself.	Looking at yourself.
espelho retrovisor	rearview mirror Car.	Car.
quebra-espelho	superstition talk Broken mirror luck jokes.	Broken mirror luck jokes.
se olhar no espelho	to look at oneself in the mirror Reflexive routine.	Reflexive routine.

How to use espelho in real life

1Getting ready
Me olhei no espelho antes de sair.
I looked in the mirror before going out.
No espelho is the location phrase.
2Driving
Ajusta o espelho retrovisor, por favor.
Adjust the rearview mirror, please.
Espelho retrovisor collocation.
3Hotel room
O espelho do banheiro está embassado.
The bathroom mirror is fogged up.
O espelho + location.

Mistakes English speakers make with espelho

Incorrect: A espelho é grande.

Correct: O espelho é grande.

Espelho is masculine: o espelho.

Incorrect: Olhei no mirror.

Correct: Olhei no espelho.

Use espelho, not English mirror.

Good to know

Broken-mirror superstition exists in Brazil too, often half-joking. Elevators and gyms keep big espelhos for checks. Espelho also appears in espelho d'água for a reflecting pool in architecture.