Portuguese · Nature, Animals & Weather
"Mouse" in Portuguese: rato
o rato
Note: small: o camundongo
Mouse (the animal) in Portuguese is o rato (masculine). A small house mouse is often o camundongo. Computer mouse is usually o mouse in Brazilian tech talk.
Apartment scare
Vi um rato perto da lixeira ontem.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce rato
Say it
HAH-too
/ˈʁa.tu/
HAH-too. Stress HAH; initial r often like h in Brazil.
"Mouse" in Portuguese: quick reference
| Portuguese | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| o rato | the mouse / rat (broad) Common animal word. | Common animal word. |
| o camundongo | the (small) mouse Smaller rodent. | Smaller rodent. |
| os ratos | the mice / rats Plural. | Plural. |
| rato de laboratório | lab mouse/rat Science. | Science. |
| ter medo de rato | to be afraid of mice Fear talk. | Fear talk. |
How to use rato in real life
- 1Apartment scare
Vi um rato perto da lixeira ontem.
I saw a mouse near the trash yesterday.
Rato is the headword form.
- 2Cartoon night
O rato da história é bem esperto.
The mouse in the story is quite clever.
Storybook rato.
- 3Building complaint
Tem rato no porão do prédio.
There's a mouse in the building basement.
Mass/singular for presence.
Mistakes English speakers make with rato
Incorrect: A rato entrou.
Correct: O rato entrou.
Rato is masculine: o rato.
Incorrect: Vi um mouse na cozinha (animal).
Correct: Vi um rato na cozinha.
Animal is rato; computer peripheral is mouse.
Good to know
Rato can mean mouse or rat in casual Brazilian speech; camundongo is the tiny one. Computer users say mouse with English pronunciation. Calling someone um rato can be an insult—context matters.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Kitchen alert
ChatPal
Foi um rato mesmo?
Was it really a mouse?
You
Foi. O rato sumiu rápido.
Yes. The mouse vanished fast.
ChatPal
Vamos fechar a comida do rato.
Let's close off the mouse's food.
You
Já fechei. Sem chance pro rato.
Already did. No chance for the mouse.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Mouse" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Mouse" in Portuguese
Rato vs camundongo?
Rato is the common word; camundongo is a small mouse.
Computer mouse?
Usually o mouse in Brazil.
Gender?
Masculine: o rato.
Plural?
Os ratos.
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
