Portuguese · Food & Drink

"Spices" in Portuguese: temperos / especiarias

os temperos / as especiarias

Say it: os tem-PEH-roos / as es-peh-see-ah-REE-ahsmasculine / feminine · os temperos / as especiariasnoun/ˈos tẽ.ˈpe.ɾos/, /ˈas es.pe.ˈsia.ɾias/

Spices in Portuguese are os temperos in everyday cooking talk, or as especiarias for the spice-rack sense. Markets sell both fresh and dried options.

Market stall

Quais temperos você usa no feijão?
Which spices do you use in the beans?
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How to pronounce temperos / especiarias

Say it

os tem-PEH-roos / as es-peh-see-ah-REE-ahs

/ˈos tẽ.ˈpe.ɾos/, /ˈas es.pe.ˈsia.ɾias/

os tem-PEH-roos / as es-peh-see-ah-REE-ahs

"Spices" in Portuguese: quick reference

PortugueseEnglish
os temperosseasonings / spices

Daily Brazilian kitchen word.

as especiariasspices

More formal or market-label tone.

temperarto season

Related verb.

sem temperowithout seasoning

Bland food complaint.

How to use temperos / especiarias in real life

  1. 1Market stall

    Quais temperos você usa no feijão?

    Which spices do you use in the beans?

    Feijão talk is classic Brazil.

  2. 2Recipe share

    As especiarias desta receita vêm da Índia.

    The spices in this recipe come from India.

    Especiarias fits exotic lists.

  3. 3Taste test

    Faltou tempero—está sem graça.

    It needed seasoning—it's bland.

    Sem graça = no flavor.

Mistakes English speakers make with temperos / especiarias

Incorrect: Eu preciso de spices.

Correct: Eu preciso de temperos.

Say temperos or especiarias.

Incorrect: Os tempero.

Correct: Os temperos.

Plural ends in -os.

Good to know

Brazilian home cooking leans on alho, cebola, cominho, colorau, and fresh herbs as much as packaged especiarias. Asking which temperos someone uses is a friendly kitchen compliment.

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Cooking together

  1. ChatPal

    Cadê os temperos da carne?

    Where are the spices for the meat?

  2. You

    Na prateleira. Uso poucas especiarias.

    On the shelf. I use few spices.

  3. ChatPal

    Então alho e pimenta?

    So just garlic and pepper?

  4. You

    Isso. Simples e bom.

    That's it. Simple and good.

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"Spices" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Spices" in Portuguese

Temperos vs especiarias?

Temperos is everyday; especiarias sounds more spice-aisle.

How do I say to season?

Temperar.

Too much spice?

Está temperado demais or muito apimentado for heat.

Spice shop?

Loja de temperos or de especiarias.

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