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Animals in Portuguese

59 words, from beginner to advanced. Tap a word to hear it.

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Names for animals in Portuguese do not always indicate the animal's sex. Cobra and Tartaruga are feminine nouns even when the animal is male. Galinha and Galo, however, are separate names for the female and male of the same species.

Pássaro usually refers to a small bird, so it is not the general term for every bird. Papagaio-do-mar names a seabird, not a type of parrot. Morcego frugívoro is more specific than Morcego: the adjective describes a bat that feeds on fruit.

  1. Peixe /ˈpɐjʃɨ/ o pl. os peixes Fish A1Elementary#
  2. Periquito /pɨɾiˈkitu/ o pl. os periquitos Parakeet A2Intermediate#
  3. Rinoceronte /ʁinusɨˈɾõtɨ/ o pl. os rinocerontes Rhinoceros A2Intermediate#
  4. Aligátor /ɐliˈɡatɔɾ/ o pl. os aligátores Alligator B2Intermediate#
  5. Esquilo /ɨʃˈkilu/ o pl. os esquilos Squirrel A2Intermediate#
  6. Falcão /fɐlˈkɐ̃w̃/ o pl. os falcões Falcon B2Intermediate#
  7. Besouro /bɨˈzoɾu/ o pl. os besouros Beetle B1Intermediate#
  8. Cervo /ˈsɛɾvu/ o pl. os cervos Red deer B2Intermediate#
  9. Gato /ˈɡatu/ o pl. os gatos Cat A1Elementary#
  10. Cão /ˈkɐ̃w̃/ o pl. os cães Dog A1Elementary#
  11. Polvo /ˈpoɫvu/ o pl. os polvos Octopus A2Intermediate#
  12. Medusa /mɨˈduzɐ/ a pl. as medusas Jellyfish B2Intermediate#
  13. Estrela-do-mar /ɨʃˌtɾelɐ du ˈmaɾ/ a pl. as estrelas-do-mar Starfish A2Intermediate#
  14. Lagarto /lɐˈɡaɾtu/ o pl. os lagartos Lizard B1Intermediate#
  15. Camaleão /kɐmɐliˈɐ̃w̃/ o pl. os camaleões Chameleon B1Intermediate#
  16. Pavão /pɐˈvɐ̃w̃/ o pl. os pavões Peacock B1Intermediate#
  17. Jaguar /ʒɐˈɡwaɾ/ o pl. os jaguares Jaguar B1Intermediate#
  18. Coelho /kuˈɐʎu/ o pl. os coelhos Rabbit A2Elementary#
  19. Cavalo /kɐˈvalu/ o pl. os cavalos Horse A1Elementary#
  20. Vaca /ˈvakɐ/ a pl. as vacas Cow A1Elementary#
  21. Porco /ˈpoɾku/ o pl. os porcos Pig A1Elementary#
  22. Galinha-d'angola /ɡɐˈliɲɐ dɐ̃ˈɡɔlɐ/ a pl. as galinhas-d'angola Guinea fowl B2Advanced#
  23. Tamanduá /tɐmɐ̃duˈa/ o pl. os tamanduás Anteater B2Advanced#
  24. Capivara /kɐpiˈvaɾɐ/ a pl. as capivaras Capybara B2Advanced#
  25. Caimão-negro /kɐjˈmɐ̃w̃ ˈneɡɾu/ o pl. os caimões-negros Black caiman C1Advanced#
  26. Papagaio-do-mar /pɐpɐˌɡaju du ˈmaɾ/ o pl. os papagaios-do-mar Puffin B2Advanced#
  27. Morcego frugívoro /muɾˈseɡu fɾuˈʒivuɾu/ o pl. os morcegos frugívoros Fruit bat C1Advanced#
  28. Pássaro /ˈpasɐɾu/ o pl. os pássaros Bird A1Elementary#
  29. Galinha /ɡɐˈliɲɐ/ a pl. as galinhas Hen A1Elementary#
  30. Galo /ˈɡalu/ o pl. os galos Rooster A2Elementary#
  31. Tartaruga /tɐɾtɐˈɾuɡɐ/ a pl. as tartarugas Turtle A2Elementary#
  32. Papagaio /pɐpɐˈɡaju/ o pl. os papagaios Parrot A2Elementary#
  33. Ovelha /oˈvɐʎɐ/ a pl. as ovelhas Sheep A2Elementary#
  34. Cabra /ˈkabɾɐ/ a pl. as cabras Goat A2Elementary#
  35. Pato /ˈpatu/ o pl. os patos Duck A2Elementary#
  36. Urso /ˈuɾsu/ o pl. os ursos Bear A2Elementary#
  37. Leão /liˈɐ̃w/ o pl. os leões Lion A1Elementary#
  38. Tigre /ˈtiɡɾɨ/ o pl. os tigres Tiger A2Elementary#
  39. Elefante /ilɨˈfɐ̃tɨ/ o pl. os elefantes Elephant A1Elementary#
  40. Macaco /mɐˈkaku/ o pl. os macacos Monkey A2Elementary#
  41. Cobra /ˈkɔbɾɐ/ a pl. as cobras Snake A2Elementary#
  42. Lobo /ˈlobu/ o pl. os lobos Wolf A2Elementary#
  43. Raposa /ʁɐˈpozɐ/ a pl. as raposas Fox A2Elementary#
  44. Abelha /ɐˈbɐʎɐ/ a pl. as abelhas Bee A2Elementary#
  45. Borboleta /buɾbuˈletɐ/ a pl. as borboletas Butterfly A2Elementary#
  46. Formiga /fuɾˈmiɡɐ/ a pl. as formigas Ant A2Elementary#
  47. Aranha /ɐˈɾɐɲɐ/ a pl. as aranhas Spider A2Elementary#
  48. Mosquito /muʃˈkitu/ o pl. os mosquitos Mosquito A2Elementary#
  49. Inseto /ĩˈsɛtu/ o pl. os insetos Insect A2Elementary#
  50. Hamster /ˈɐ̃ʃtɛɾ/ o pl. os hamsters Hamster A2Elementary#
  51. Zebra /ˈzɛbɾɐ/ a pl. as zebras Zebra A2Elementary#
  52. Girafa /ʒiˈɾafɐ/ a pl. as girafas Giraffe A1Elementary#
  53. Coruja /kuˈɾuʒɐ/ a pl. as corujas Owl A2Elementary#
  54. Águia /ˈaɡjɐ/ a pl. as águias Eagle B1Elementary#
  55. Morcego /muɾˈseɡu/ o pl. os morcegos Bat B1Elementary#
  56. Veado /viˈadu/ o pl. os veados Deer B1Elementary#
  57. Golfinho /ɡoɫˈfiɲu/ o pl. os golfinhos Dolphin A2Elementary#
  58. Baleia /bɐˈlɐjɐ/ a pl. as baleias Whale A2Elementary#
  59. Tubarão /tubɐˈɾɐ̃w̃/ o pl. os tubarões Shark A2Elementary#

Rules to remember

  • The singular definite article is o with Gato and Peixe, and a with Cobra and Tartaruga.
  • Many names ending in an unstressed vowel form the plural by adding -s, including Gato, Peixe and Tartaruga.
  • In Morcego frugívoro, the adjective follows the noun and agrees with it in gender and number.

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