Portuguese · People & Family
"Parents" in Portuguese: pais
os pais
Parents in Portuguese is os pais. Alone, pai means father, so os pais is the plural pair for parents. You can also say minha mãe e meu pai.
Weekend plans
Vou almoçar com meus pais no domingo.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce pais
Say it
oos PAH-ees
/ˈos ˈpajs/
oos PAH-ees — clear plural.
"Parents" in Portuguese: quick reference
| Portuguese | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| os pais | the parents Default plural. | Default plural. |
| meus pais | my parents Possessive. | Possessive. |
| pais e mães | fathers and mothers / parents (inclusive phrasing) School notes and forms. | School notes and forms. |
| casa dos pais | parents' house Visiting family. | Visiting family. |
How to use pais in real life
- 1Weekend plans
Vou almoçar com meus pais no domingo.
I'm having lunch with my parents on Sunday.
Meus pais is the everyday possessive.
- 2School message
Os pais precisam assinar o bilhete.
Parents need to sign the note.
Common school phrasing.
- 3Moving talk
Ainda moro na casa dos pais.
I still live at my parents' house.
Casa dos pais is a set phrase.
Mistakes English speakers make with pais
Incorrect: Meu pais é legal.
Correct: Meus pais são legais. / Meu pai é legal.
Os pais is plural. Singular pai means father.
Incorrect: Os parentes chegaram. (meaning parents)
Correct: Os pais chegaram.
Parentes means relatives, not specifically parents.
Good to know
Adult children visiting os pais on Sunday lunch is a strong Brazilian habit in many families. Pais can also mean fathers in other contexts, so meus pais for ‘my parents’ is the safe learner phrase.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Planning a family video call
ChatPal
Seus pais vão entrar na chamada às oito?
Will your parents join the call at eight?
You
Vão. Meus pais adoram ver a casa nova.
They will. My parents love seeing the new house.
ChatPal
Que fofo. Meus pais também querem um tour.
Cute. My parents want a tour too.
You
Depois a gente chama os dois pais juntos.
Later we can call both sets of parents together.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Parents" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Parents" in Portuguese
Does pais mean parents or fathers?
Os pais usually means parents. Context can mean fathers; meus pais is clearly my parents.
How do I say my parents?
Meus pais.
How do I say parents' house?
Casa dos pais.
What is parentes?
Relatives in general, not specifically parents.
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
