Brazilian Portuguese keeps every vowel that Lisbon whispers away, which makes it sound like a different language at first. t and d hiss before i — 'dia' is 'jia' — a final l is a w, and Rio specifically turns the r of 'rio' and the r at the end of a word into a breath. The ʃ on final s is one of the few things Rio shares with Lisbon.
Where: Brazil — carioca
Anything the spelling engine can transcribe, the accent can move. Slow it down to hear the shape.
Syllable-timed where Lisbon is stress-timed: every vowel gets its beat, so the language sounds sung. Rio adds a long, lazy rise on stressed syllables and a rising tail on questions.
In the order the mouth applies them. Every before-and-after is playable — click the IPA. The pattern is the rule as the engine runs it, for the curious.
t(?=[iɪ]) → t͡ʃWhen: before i, including the i that a final e has just become
How: Let the t release into the ch of 'church'.
'Tia' is 'chia', 'noite' is 'noichi'. It is the most Brazilian sound there is, and Lisbon does not have it at all.
| Word | Reference | Accent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| tia | |||
| noite | |||
| gente |
d(?=[iɪ]) → d͡ʒHow: 'Dia' is 'jia' — the j of English 'jeep'.
| Word | Reference | Accent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| dia | |||
| verde | |||
| cidade |
l(?=[pbtdkɡqʔmnɲŋɴfvθðszʃʒɕʂʐçxχɣʁħʕhβʝlʎɹrɾjwɥʈɖɳɽʋɦ]|$| ) → wHow: Say 'oo' where the l would be.
Which is why 'Brasil' ends in the sound of 'ow'. Lisbon keeps a dark l.
| Word | Reference | Accent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brasil | |||
| mal | |||
| sol |
ʁ → hHow: Just breathe. No tongue, no throat.
Rio's r is the English h. 'Rio' is 'hee-oo'.
| Word | Reference | Accent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| rio | |||
| carro | |||
| rua |
ɾ$ → hWhen: at the end of a word; very often it drops away entirely
| Word | Reference | Accent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| comer | |||
| falar |
ɨ → iHow: Say a full 'ee'. Every syllable is pronounced.
Brazil never reduced this vowel. It is a clear i — and that i then triggers the next rule.
| Word | Reference | Accent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| sete | |||
| noite | |||
| verde |
ɐ(?![̃]) → aLisbon reduces it to a schwa-like ɐ. Brazil says the vowel.
| Word | Reference | Accent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| casa | |||
| mesa |
Other accents of Portuguese: Lisbon · São Paulo · all accents