Portuguese · Nature, Animals & Weather

"Sea" in Portuguese: mar

o mar

Say it: mahrmasculine · o marnoun/maʁ/

Sea in Portuguese is o mar. Brazilians say ir ao mar or tomar banho de mar for a swim in the ocean. Beira-mar is the waterfront.

Weekend plan

Domingo a gente vai ao mar cedo.
Sunday we're going to the sea early.
Practice Portuguese out loud

Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free

How to pronounce mar

Say it

mahr

/maʁ/

mahr. Short open a; soft final r in many accents.

"Sea" in Portuguese: quick reference

PortugueseEnglish
o marthe sea

Default noun.

ir ao marto go to the sea

Beach day plans.

banho de marswim in the sea

Ocean swim phrase.

beira-marseaside / waterfront

Promenades and addresses.

enjoo de marseasickness

Boat travel.

How to use mar in real life

  1. 1Weekend plan

    Domingo a gente vai ao mar cedo.

    Sunday we're going to the sea early.

    Ir ao mar is a classic plan.

  2. 2Warning kids

    Não entra no mar sem adulto.

    Don't go in the sea without an adult.

    Safety talk names o mar.

  3. 3Hotel view

    Nosso quarto tem vista para o mar.

    Our room has a view of the sea.

    Vista para o mar sells rooms.

Mistakes English speakers make with mar

Incorrect: a mar

Correct: o mar

Mar is masculine: o mar.

Incorrect: Eu vou no mar (for going to the seaside, awkward)

Correct: Eu vou ao mar / para a praia.

Ir ao mar or para a praia sounds more natural for a beach trip.

Good to know

For many Brazilians the mar is weekend religion—early buses, cooler bags, and sunscreen arguments. Praia is the beach; mar is the water itself. Saying o mar está bravo means rough waves, not an angry person.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Deciding whether to swim

  1. ChatPal

    O mar está calmo hoje. Vamos entrar?

    The sea is calm today. Shall we go in?

  2. You

    Vamos. Eu amo nadar no mar de manhã.

    Let's. I love swimming in the sea in the morning.

  3. ChatPal

    Leva a boia. Longe do mar fundo, combinado?

    Take the float. Away from the deep sea, deal?

  4. You

    Combinado. Fico perto de você.

    Deal. I'll stay near you.

This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.

Practice this conversation in ChatPal

"Sea" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Sea" in Portuguese

Mar or praia?

Mar is the sea. Praia is the beach.

How do I say go to the sea?

Ir ao mar or ir para a praia.

Is mar masculine?

Yes: o mar.

What does mar bravo mean?

Rough sea—strong waves—not an angry mood.

Learn a word, then use it out loud

  1. Step 1: See it in context
  2. Step 2: Say it out loud
  3. Step 3: Get feedback
  4. Step 4: Use it in real scenarios

Keep reading

Ready to say it out loud?

ChatPal is a voice-first app for practicing real conversations in Portuguese. Try real scenarios and get personalized feedback on your speaking.

Start with 7 days free.