Portuguese · Nature, Animals & Weather
"Wave (sea)" in Portuguese: onda
a onda
A wave in Portuguese is a onda. Beach chatter uses ondas grandes, and surfers watch a próxima onda.
Beach warning
Cuidado—a onda está forte hoje.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce onda
Say it
ah ONG-dah
/ˈa ˈõ.da/
ah ONG-dah
"Wave (sea)" in Portuguese: quick reference
| Portuguese | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| a onda | the wave Sea wave. | Sea wave. |
| ondas | waves Plural. | Plural. |
| onda grande | big wave Conditions. | Conditions. |
| pegar uma onda | to catch a wave Surf slang. | Surf slang. |
How to use onda in real life
- 1Beach warning
Cuidado—a onda está forte hoje.
Careful—the wave is strong today.
Safety.
- 2Photo moment
Espera a onda quebrar para a foto.
Wait for the wave to break for the photo.
Quebrar = break.
- 3Surf chat
Peguei uma onda longa perto dos costões.
I caught a long wave near the rocky points.
Peguei uma onda.
Mistakes English speakers make with onda
Incorrect: Uma wave enorme.
Correct: Uma onda enorme.
Use onda.
Incorrect: O onda.
Correct: A onda.
Feminine article a.
Good to know
Brazilian surf culture from Rio to Bahia lives on onda talk—sets, tides, and rips. Lifeguards may flag dias de onda alta; respect the color flags.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Deciding whether to swim
ChatPal
Olha essa onda—está alta.
Look at that wave—it's high.
You
Prefiro esperar uma onda menor.
I prefer to wait for a smaller wave.
ChatPal
Combinado. Ficamos na areia.
Deal. We'll stay on the sand.
You
Por agora, sim.
For now, yes.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Wave (sea)" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Wave (sea)" in Portuguese
Big waves?
Ondas grandes / mar agitado.
Wave hello?
Different—acenar; onda here is the sea.
Catch a wave?
Pegar uma onda.
Heatwave?
Onda de calor—related metaphor.
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
