Nouns


Gender

Portuguese nouns are either masculine or feminine. Most of the time you can identify a noun's gender based on its ending.

How to Identify Masculine Nouns

Ordinarily nouns with the following endings are masculine:

Noun Endings (m.)
Example
Translation
-o
o livro
the book
-consonant
um lápis
a pencil
-i
o lei
the law
-u
um chapéu
a hat
-ema
o problema
the problem
-grama
um telegrama
a telegram

Notes:

Some common exceptions: 
   o mapa - map
   o dia - day 
   o planeta - planet 
   o ímã - magnet 
These are all masculine nouns.

How to Identify Feminine Nouns

Nouns with the following endings are usually feminine:

Noun Endings (f.)
Example
Translation
-a
a comida
the food
-ã
uma maçã
an apple
-ação
a criação
the creation
-agem
uma viagem
a trip
-idade
a cidade
the city
-idão
gratidão
gratitude

Notes:

Some common exceptions: 
   a voz - voice
   a cor - color 
   a mão - hand 
   a flor - flower 
These are all feminine nouns.

Nouns with both Masculine and Feminine Forms

Many nouns will fit into two categories, and can have specific masculine or feminine forms. These usually designate people or professions. There are rules to use when changing a masculine noun into the feminine form:

Noun Ending (m.)
Alteration (f.)
Example
-o
change -o to -a
o jardineiro → a jardineira
-r or -s
add -a
o professor → a professora
-ão
change -ão to-ã or -oa
o irmão → a irmã

 


Nouns with a Single Form

Some nouns do not change endings and gender is identified only by the articles.

Noun Ending
Example
Translation
-ante
o/a estudante
the student
-ente
o/a paciente
the patient
-ista
o/a turista
the tourist



Plural of Nouns


Forming the Plural

There are a few rules that can be followed when forming the plural of nouns.

Nouns ending with:

  • -vowels add -s. 
    a irmã → as irmãs
  • -s add -es if the stress falls on the final syllable. 
    o mês → os meses
  • -s do not change if the stress does NOT fall on the final syllable. 
    o lápis → os lápis
  • -r, or -z add -es. 
    a cor → as cores
  • -m change the -m to -ns. 
    o homem → os homens
  • -al, -el, -ol, -ul change the -l to -is.
    o animal → os animais
  • -il change the -l to -s, or change the -il to -eis depending on the stressed syllable.
    o barril → os barris; o fóssil → os fósseis
  • -ão form the plural by either adding -s, changing -o to -es, or changing -ão toões. 
    o irmão → os irmãos; o pão → os pães; o limão → os limões

Notes:

The masculine plural of certain nouns is used to collectively to include both genders. 
   os pais - the parents 
   os irmãos - the brothers and sisters 
   os professores - the (m & f) professors

Degree of Nouns


Diminutives

Diminutives are common in spoken Portuguese. They are added to the ends of nouns to connote something small or precious.

Some of the most common:


  • -inho, -inha
  • -ito, -ito
  • -ico
  • -ola
  • -acho
  • -eta, -ete
  • -ilho, -ilha
  • -ulo

primo - cousin → priminho - little cousin
casa - house → casita - small house
pouco - few → pouqinho - very few

 Augmentatives

Augmentatives turn the noun into something greater or grand.
Some of the most common:

  • -aço, -aça
  • -zarrão
  • -ão, -ona
  • -ola
  • -alha
  • -alhão
  • -anhão
  • -anha

mulher - woman → mulherona - a large woman
cão - dog → canzarrão - a large dog
gol - goal (football) → golaço - great goal