Portuguese · Nature, Animals & Weather

"Waterfall" in Portuguese: cachoeira

a cachoeira

Say it: kah-shoh-EY-rahfeminine · a cachoeiranoun/ka.ʃoe.ˈi.ɾa/

Note: PT-PT: a cascata

Waterfall in Portuguese is a cachoeira in Brazil. European Portuguese often says a cascata. Say Vamos na cachoeira or A cachoeira tem trilha.

Weekend plan

No sábado a gente desce até a cachoeira cedo.
On Saturday we’ll head down to the waterfall early.
Practice Portuguese out loud

Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free

How to pronounce cachoeira

Say it

kah-shoh-EY-rah

/ka.ʃoe.ˈi.ɾa/

a kah-shoh-EY-rah

"Waterfall" in Portuguese: quick reference

PortugueseEnglish
a cachoeirawaterfall (BR)

Brazilian word.

a cascatawaterfall (PT-PT)

European Portuguese.

banho de cachoeirawaterfall swim/bath

Outing.

trilha até a cachoeirahike to the waterfall

Access.

How to use cachoeira in real life

  1. 1Weekend plan

    No sábado a gente desce até a cachoeira cedo.

    On Saturday we’ll head down to the waterfall early.

    Day trip.

  2. 2Safety

    A cachoeira está forte depois da chuva.

    The waterfall is strong after the rain.

    Current warning.

  3. 3Photo stop

    Para quero uma foto na cachoeira.

    Stop there — I want a photo at the waterfall.

    Tourist moment.

Mistakes English speakers make with cachoeira

Incorrect: Vamos na waterfall.

Correct: Vamos na cachoeira.

Use cachoeira in Brazil.

Incorrect: O cachoeira é alta.

Correct: A cachoeira é alta.

Feminine: a cachoeira.

Good to know

Cachoeira is the Brazilian default — from small streams to famous falls. Cascata shows up more in European Portuguese and some southern BR place names. Bring water shoes; rocks get slippery.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Planning a hike

  1. ChatPal

    A cachoeira fica a uma hora de trilha?

    Is the waterfall an hour’s hike away?

  2. You

    Mais ou menos. A cachoeira menor é mais perto.

    More or less. The smaller waterfall is closer.

  3. ChatPal

    Leva capa perto da cachoeira espirra muito.

    Bring a cover — it sprays a lot near the waterfall.

  4. You

    Boa. Eu levo.

    Good call. I’ll bring one.

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

Practice this conversation in ChatPal

"Waterfall" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Waterfall" in Portuguese

Waterfall in Brazil?

A cachoeira.

PT-PT word?

Often a cascata.

Swim at the waterfall?

Tomar banho de cachoeira.

How far is the waterfall?

A cachoeira fica a quanto tempo?

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.