Portuguese · Nature, Animals & Weather
"Sheep" in Portuguese: ovelha
a ovelha
Sheep in Portuguese is a ovelha (feminine). The plural is ovelhas. Carneiro often means a ram or mutton; stick to ovelha for the living animal on a farm.
Farm visit
A ovelha branca ficou perto da cerca.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce ovelha
Say it
o-VEH-lyah
/o.ˈve.ʎa/
o-VEH-lyah. Stress VEH; lh like the lli in million.
"Sheep" in Portuguese: quick reference
| Portuguese | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| a ovelha | the sheep Singular animal. | Singular animal. |
| as ovelhas | the sheep (pl) Plural. | Plural. |
| carneiro | ram / mutton Male sheep or the meat. | Male sheep or the meat. |
| lã de ovelha | sheep's wool Product talk. | Product talk. |
| balido | bleat The sheep sound. | The sheep sound. |
How to use ovelha in real life
- 1Farm visit
A ovelha branca ficou perto da cerca.
The white sheep stayed near the fence.
A ovelha is singular feminine.
- 2Kids counting animals
Contei sete ovelhas no pasto.
I counted seven sheep in the pasture.
Ovelhas = plural.
- 3Souvenir shop
Esse cobertor é de lã de ovelha.
This blanket is sheep's wool.
Lã de ovelha names the material.
Mistakes English speakers make with ovelha
Incorrect: O ovelha é fofa.
Correct: A ovelha é fofa.
Ovelha is feminine: a ovelha.
Incorrect: Vi um sheep ontem.
Correct: Vi uma ovelha ontem.
Use ovelha, not English sheep.
Good to know
Sheep farming is stronger in southern Brazil than in the Amazon north. In everyday speech ovelha is clear; carneiro on a menu may mean mutton. Counting ovelhas to fall asleep is a joke Brazilians know from elsewhere too.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Countryside walk
ChatPal
Olha aquela ovelha preta!
Look at that black sheep!
You
Que fofa. Tem mais ovelhas atrás?
So cute. Are there more sheep behind?
ChatPal
Tem um grupo inteiro de ovelhas.
There's a whole group of sheep.
You
Queria tocar uma ovelha, mas com cuidado.
I'd like to pet a sheep, carefully.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Sheep" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Sheep" in Portuguese
Gender of ovelha?
Feminine: a ovelha.
Plural?
As ovelhas.
Ovelha vs carneiro?
Ovelha is the sheep; carneiro is often the ram or the meat.
Wool?
Lã de ovelha.
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- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
