Portuguese · Food & Drink
"Rice" in Portuguese: arroz
o arroz
Rice in Portuguese is arroz (ah-HOHSS). The word is masculine, so you say o arroz, and like in English it has no plural in everyday use. In Brazil you will find it on almost every lunch plate, right next to the beans: arroz com feijão.
At the supermarket
Preciso de um pacote de arroz de cinco quilos.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce arroz
Say it
ah-HOHSS
/aˈʁos/
Stress the last syllable: ah-HOHSS. In most of Brazil the double rr sounds like an English h, so don't roll it like in Spanish. The final z sounds like s, but in Rio and in Portugal it becomes a soft sh: ah-HOHSH.
"Rice" in Portuguese: quick reference
| Portuguese | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| o arroz | rice The default word for the grain, cooked or uncooked. | The default word for the grain, cooked or uncooked. |
| o arroz integral | brown rice On supermarket packets and on healthier menus. | On supermarket packets and on healthier menus. |
| arroz com feijão | rice and beans The everyday base of a Brazilian lunch. Also a casual way to say "the basics". | The everyday base of a Brazilian lunch. Also a casual way to say "the basics". |
| o arroz-doce | rice pudding A sweet dessert with milk and cinnamon, loved in both Brazil and Portugal. | A sweet dessert with milk and cinnamon, loved in both Brazil and Portugal. |
| o arroz de pato | duck rice A classic baked dish in Portugal, often with slices of chouriço on top. | A classic baked dish in Portugal, often with slices of chouriço on top. |
How to use arroz in real life
- 1At the supermarket
Preciso de um pacote de arroz de cinco quilos.
I need a five-kilo bag of rice.
Brazilian supermarkets sell rice in big 5 kg packets, because many families cook it daily.
- 2At a lunch counter
Um prato feito com arroz, feijão e frango, por favor.
A set plate with rice, beans, and chicken, please.
A prato feito, or PF, is a cheap set lunch, and rice is almost always on it.
- 3Cooking at home
Você pode fazer o arroz enquanto eu corto a salada?
Can you make the rice while I cut the salad?
For this everyday kitchen job, Brazilians usually say fazer o arroz (make the rice).
Mistakes English speakers make with arroz
Incorrect: Eu gosto da arroz da minha avó.
Correct: Eu gosto do arroz da minha avó.
Arroz is masculine, so de + o becomes do. The ending -z gives no clue, so learn it as o arroz.
Incorrect: Comprei dois arrozes no mercado.
Correct: Comprei dois pacotes de arroz no mercado.
Like English "rice", arroz is uncountable in daily speech. Count what it comes in: pacotes (packets), quilos, or pratos (plates).
Good to know
In Brazil, arroz com feijão is so basic to daily meals that the phrase also means "the usual" or "nothing fancy". Brazilian white rice is rarely just boiled: it is first fried lightly in oil with garlic and often onion, then cooked in water. Portugal eats a lot of rice too, but often in soupy dishes like arroz de marisco (seafood rice).
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Ordering a set lunch at a lanchonete in São Paulo
ChatPal
Boa tarde! Hoje o prato feito é frango grelhado com arroz e feijão.
Good afternoon! Today's set plate is grilled chicken with rice and beans.
You
Ótimo! O arroz é branco ou integral?
Great! Is the rice white or brown?
ChatPal
É arroz branco, feito na hora. Quer salada também?
It's white rice, freshly made. Do you want salad too?
You
Quero, sim. Um prato feito e um suco de laranja, por favor.
Yes, I do. One set plate and an orange juice, please.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Rice" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Rice" in Portuguese
Is arroz masculine or feminine?
Arroz is masculine: o arroz, um arroz gostoso. Adjectives take the masculine form too, as in Esse arroz está delicioso (This rice is delicious).
What does arroz com feijão mean besides rice and beans?
It is also an everyday expression for the basics done well. If someone says a restaurant faz o arroz com feijão bem feito, they mean it gets the simple things right.
How do you pronounce the rr in arroz?
In most of Brazil, rr sounds like the h in "hot": ah-HOHSS. In Portugal you will usually hear a throaty sound from the back of the mouth instead. Either way, it is never the English r of "red".
Is rice the same word in Brazil and Portugal?
Yes, both say o arroz, and arroz integral for brown rice. What changes is the cooking: Brazil serves dry, fluffy rice as a side, while Portugal is known for moist rice dishes cooked with fish, duck, or seafood.
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
