Portuguese · Emotions & Descriptions
"Old" in Portuguese: velho/a
velho/a
Old in Portuguese is velho or velha. Match gender: carro velho, casa velha. For people, idosos / pessoa idosa can sound more respectful than velho alone.
Apartment features
O prédio é velho, mas o elevador é novo.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce velho/a
Say it
VEH-lyoo / VEH-lyah
/ˈve.ʎu/, /ˈve.ʎa/
VEH-lyoo / VEH-lyah.
"Old" in Portuguese: quick reference
| Portuguese | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| velho / velha | old Base adjective. | Base adjective. |
| velhos / velhas | old (plural) Plural agreement. | Plural agreement. |
| mais velho | older Comparisons. | Comparisons. |
| antigo / antiga | old / former / antique History, ex-roles, old-style things. | History, ex-roles, old-style things. |
| idoso / idosa | elderly person More respectful for people. | More respectful for people. |
How to use velho/a in real life
- 1Apartment features
O prédio é velho, mas o elevador é novo.
The building is old, but the elevator is new.
Velho for things is fine.
- 2Clothes
Essa camisa velha ainda presta para pintar.
This old shirt is still good for painting.
Velha agrees with camisa.
- 3Family age
Meu irmão mais velho mora em Recife.
My older brother lives in Recife.
Mais velho for older sibling.
Mistakes English speakers make with velho/a
Incorrect: Uma mulher velho.
Correct: Uma mulher velha.
Agree gender: velha with mulher.
Incorrect: Ele é old.
Correct: Ele é velho. / Ele é idoso.
Use Portuguese velho; prefer idoso for respectful people talk.
Good to know
Calling a person velho can feel blunt. Friends joke with velho/velha affectionately, but with strangers idoso/idosa is safer. For objects and buildings, velho is normal. Antigo often means former or historic rather than simply worn-out.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Choosing a used car
ChatPal
Esse carro parece velho demais?
Does this car look too old?
You
É velho, mas o motor está bom.
It's old, but the engine is good.
ChatPal
Prefiro um modelo menos velho.
I prefer a less old model.
You
Então vamos ver aquele menos velho ali.
Then let's look at that less old one over there.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Old" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Old" in Portuguese
Gender forms?
Velho (m), velha (f).
Older brother?
Irmão mais velho.
Polite for people?
Idoso / idosa is often softer.
Velho vs antigo?
Velho = aged/worn. Antigo = former, historic, or old-style.
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
