Portuguese · Nature, Animals & Weather

"Owl" in Portuguese: coruja

a coruja

Say it: ko-ROO-zhahfeminine · a corujanoun/ko.ˈɾu.ʒa/

Owl in Portuguese is a coruja. Night owls as people are also called corujas in playful speech.

Zoo

A coruja dormia no canto do viveiro.
The owl was sleeping in the corner of the enclosure.
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How to pronounce coruja

Say it

ko-ROO-zhah

/ko.ˈɾu.ʒa/

ko-ROO-zhah

"Owl" in Portuguese: quick reference

PortugueseEnglish
a corujathe owl

Default noun.

corujasowls

Plural.

ser corujato be a night owl

Person metaphor.

olho de corujaowl eye (sharp sight joke)

Playful.

How to use coruja in real life

  1. 1Zoo

    A coruja dormia no canto do viveiro.

    The owl was sleeping in the corner of the enclosure.

    Animal.

  2. 2Night person

    Sou coruja trabalho melhor de madrugada.

    I’m a night owl — I work better late at night.

    Metaphor.

  3. 3Sound

    Ouvi uma coruja no sítio ontem à noite.

    I heard an owl at the country house last night.

    Sound.

Mistakes English speakers make with coruja

Incorrect: O coruja voou.

Correct: A coruja voou.

Coruja is feminine as the bird.

Incorrect: Vi uma owl no telhado.

Correct: Vi uma coruja no telhado.

Use coruja.

Good to know

Coruja is the bird and, metaphorically, a night person (sou coruja). Parents who dote on kids can also be called corujas in Brazilian slang—context matters.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Hearing a night bird

  1. ChatPal

    Foi uma coruja aquele som?

    Was that sound an owl?

  2. You

    Foi. A coruja está no eucalipto.

    It was. The owl is in the eucalyptus.

  3. ChatPal

    Que legal. Nunca vi coruja de perto.

    Cool. I’ve never seen an owl up close.

  4. You

    Nem eu. Fica quieto para ouvir.

    Me neither. Stay quiet to listen.

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"Owl" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Owl" in Portuguese

Gender?

Feminine: a coruja.

Night owl (person)?

Ser coruja.

Plural?

As corujas.

Pronunciation?

ko-ROO-zhah.

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  4. Step 4: Use it in real scenarios

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