English and Portuguese share a massive Latin-rooted vocabulary. Both inherited thousands of words from Latin — English through the Norman Conquest (1066) and centuries of scholarly borrowing; Portuguese directly as a Romance descendant. The result is that roughly a third of your English vocabulary already exists, in a recognizable form, in European Portuguese. Once you learn the handful of systematic suffix correspondences — -tion → -ção, -ity → -idade, -ous → -oso, -able → -ável — you stop memorizing these words and start deriving them.
This page is a practical reference for English speakers learning European Portuguese. It shows the productive correspondences between English and PT-PT suffixes, gives you a decoder for each pattern, and — importantly — flags the false friends (falsos amigos) that look like cognates but mean something entirely different. An unvigilant English speaker who assumes eventualmente means "eventually" or livraria means "library" is heading for embarrassment.
The big picture: why so many cognates exist
Portuguese descends from Vulgar Latin, spoken by the Romans in what is now Portugal. Its Latin vocabulary came down through centuries of natural sound change, yielding everyday words like leite (from lacte, milk), noite (from nocte, night), and chorar (from plorare, to cry).
English got its Latin vocabulary a different way: largely through French after 1066, and through direct scholarly borrowing from Latin from the Middle Ages onward. The Latin words entered English in a more preserved form — nation, national, station, education, information all come from Latin nation-, station-, educatio-, often through Old French.
The result: English and PT-PT often have the same Latin root in the same word, differing only in the form of the ending. English kept Latinate -tion; Portuguese kept its natural descendant -ção. Recognising this alignment is the key to unlocking thousands of cognates at once.
The core suffix correspondences
English -tion ↔ Portuguese -ção (the biggest one)
The most productive pattern in the whole inventory. Hundreds of words map one-to-one. The result is always feminine in Portuguese.
| English | Portuguese | Note |
|---|---|---|
| nation | a nação | — |
| station | a estação | initial e- added (Portuguese dislikes st- initial) |
| information | a informação | — |
| education | a educação | — |
| situation | a situação | — |
| creation | a criação | also: breeding, raising |
| construction | a construção | — |
| operation | a operação | — |
| organization | a organização | AO90: no -s- variant |
| revolution | a revolução | — |
| solution | a solução | — |
| pollution | a poluição | double l drops |
| conversation | a conversação / a conversa | conversa is everyday; conversação is more formal |
| negotiation | a negociação | — |
| communication | a comunicação | single m in Portuguese |
| celebration | a celebração | — |
| admiration | a admiração | — |
| inflation | a inflação | — |
| action | a ação | AO90 dropped silent c |
A nação inteira acompanhou o processo com atenção.
The whole nation followed the process with attention.
A estação de comboios está em obras até ao final do ano.
The train station is under construction until the end of the year.
Preciso de mais informação antes de tomar uma decisão.
I need more information before making a decision.
A educação pública deve ser gratuita e de qualidade.
Public education should be free and of good quality.
A situação económica do país está a melhorar lentamente.
The country's economic situation is slowly improving.
AO90 alert: some old -cção words lost their silent c: acção → ação, reacção → reação, redacção → redação, direcção → direção. If you see acção anywhere, it's pre-2009 spelling — the modern form is ação.
English -sion ↔ Portuguese -são
Similar pattern, applying to words that ended in -sion in English. Always feminine.
| English | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| decision | a decisão |
| vision | a visão |
| mission | a missão |
| session | a sessão |
| division | a divisão |
| invasion | a invasão |
| confusion | a confusão |
| illusion | a ilusão |
| conclusion | a conclusão |
| expression | a expressão |
| profession | a profissão |
| emotion | a emoção (note: -tion → -ção here, not -sion) |
| passion | a paixão |
Foi uma decisão difícil, mas necessária.
It was a difficult decision, but a necessary one.
A visão dele sobre o futuro da empresa é muito otimista.
His vision of the company's future is very optimistic.
A reunião foi cancelada por confusão nos horários.
The meeting was cancelled due to confusion over the schedule.
A paixão pelo fado começou-lhe na infância.
His passion for fado began in childhood.
English -ity ↔ Portuguese -(i)dade
Cognate of the English abstract-quality suffix. Always feminine.
| English | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| reality | a realidade |
| opportunity | a oportunidade |
| possibility | a possibilidade |
| responsibility | a responsabilidade |
| society | a sociedade |
| quality | a qualidade |
| quantity | a quantidade |
| identity | a identidade |
| activity | a atividade |
| university | a universidade |
| personality | a personalidade |
| community | a comunidade |
| majority | a maioria |
| humility | a humildade |
| security | a segurança (note: different suffix) |
| eternity | a eternidade |
| city | a cidade |
| complexity | a complexidade |
A realidade é muito mais complicada do que parecia no início.
Reality is much more complicated than it seemed at the start.
É uma grande oportunidade para avançar na carreira.
It's a great opportunity to advance in your career.
Tens de assumir a responsabilidade pelos teus atos.
You have to take responsibility for your actions.
A universidade de Coimbra é a mais antiga de Portugal.
The University of Coimbra is the oldest in Portugal.
English -ous ↔ Portuguese -oso / -osa
Forms adjectives. Gender-marked.
| English | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| famous | famoso / famosa |
| curious | curioso / curiosa |
| dangerous | perigoso / perigosa |
| religious | religioso / religiosa |
| generous | generoso / generosa |
| numerous | numeroso / numerosa |
| nervous | nervoso / nervosa |
| envious | invejoso / invejosa |
| mysterious | misterioso / misteriosa |
| precious | precioso / preciosa |
| delicious | delicioso / deliciosa |
| spacious | espaçoso / espaçosa |
| glorious | glorioso / gloriosa |
Aquele ator ficou famoso com um único filme.
That actor became famous with a single film.
Tem cuidado — aquela zona é perigosa à noite.
Be careful — that area is dangerous at night.
Este bolo está delicioso, podes dar-me a receita?
This cake is delicious, can you give me the recipe?
Fiquei nervosa antes da entrevista de emprego.
I got nervous before the job interview.
English -able / -ible ↔ Portuguese -ável / -ível
The mapping is tight: English -able → Portuguese -ável, English -ible → Portuguese -ível.
| English | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| comfortable | confortável |
| responsible | responsável |
| possible | possível |
| impossible | impossível |
| reasonable | razoável |
| acceptable | aceitável |
| terrible | terrível |
| horrible | horrível |
| incredible | incrível |
| visible | visível |
| sensible | sensato (note: sensível means "sensitive," NOT "sensible" — FALSE FRIEND) |
| flexible | flexível |
| recyclable | reciclável |
| favourable | favorável |
| agreeable | agradável |
Este sofá é super confortável, podes dormir aqui.
This sofa is super comfortable, you can sleep here.
O preço é razoável, não acho que consigas melhor.
The price is reasonable, I don't think you'll find better.
Achei incrível como ele se manteve calmo durante a crise.
I found it incredible how he stayed calm during the crisis.
O filme é terrível, não recomendo a ninguém.
The film is terrible, I don't recommend it to anyone.
English -al ↔ Portuguese -al
Straightforward. Usually invariable for gender (a few exceptions).
| English | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| national | nacional |
| central | central |
| original | original |
| cultural | cultural |
| professional | profissional |
| international | internacional |
| personal | pessoal |
| general | geral |
| natural | natural |
| social | social |
| special | especial |
| digital | digital |
| global | global |
O hino nacional é tocado antes de cada jogo.
The national anthem is played before each game.
A minha vida pessoal é um assunto privado.
My personal life is a private matter.
A empresa tornou-se internacional em poucos anos.
The company became international in a few years.
English -ic / -ical ↔ Portuguese -ico
Note that English has both -ic and -ical while Portuguese collapses them into -ico / -ica. Gender-marked.
| English | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| classic / classical | clássico / clássica |
| magic / magical | mágico / mágica |
| historic / historical | histórico / histórica |
| logical | lógico / lógica |
| physical | físico / física |
| tragic | trágico / trágica |
| comic / comical | cómico / cómica |
| economic / economical | económico / económica |
| geographical | geográfico / geográfica |
| political | político / política |
| academic | académico / académica |
| characteristic | característico / característica |
O clássico encontro entre o Porto e o Benfica é sempre tenso.
The classic match between Porto and Benfica is always tense.
O centro histórico de Lisboa é uma atração turística importante.
Lisbon's historic centre is a major tourist attraction.
A situação económica do país melhorou gradualmente.
The country's economic situation has improved gradually.
English -ism ↔ Portuguese -ismo
Doctrine or -ism. Masculine.
| English | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| capitalism | o capitalismo |
| socialism | o socialismo |
| communism | o comunismo |
| feminism | o feminismo |
| realism | o realismo |
| modernism | o modernismo |
| tourism | o turismo |
| organism | o organismo |
| journalism | o jornalismo |
| criticism | a crítica (different form — not criticismo) |
| optimism | o otimismo |
| pessimism | o pessimismo |
O capitalismo e o socialismo marcaram o debate económico do século XX.
Capitalism and socialism marked the economic debate of the 20th century.
O turismo é uma das principais fontes de rendimento do país.
Tourism is one of the country's main sources of income.
English -ist ↔ Portuguese -ista
Adherent or professional. Common gender — the same form for masculine and feminine.
| English | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| pianist | o/a pianista |
| tourist | o/a turista |
| journalist | o/a jornalista |
| dentist | o/a dentista |
| artist | o/a artista |
| socialist | o/a socialista |
| idealist | o/a idealista |
| realist | o/a realista |
| specialist | o/a especialista |
| optimist | o/a otimista |
| feminist | o/a feminista |
A pianista tocou uma peça de Chopin que emocionou toda a sala.
The pianist played a Chopin piece that moved the whole hall.
Os turistas enchem o centro de Lisboa no verão.
Tourists fill the centre of Lisbon in the summer.
O meu dentista é muito cuidadoso com as crianças.
My dentist is very careful with children.
English -ary ↔ Portuguese -ário / -ária
Relational. Gender-marked.
| English | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| ordinary | ordinário / ordinária |
| necessary | necessário / necessária |
| vocabulary | o vocabulário |
| dictionary | o dicionário |
| secretary | o secretário / a secretária |
| revolutionary | revolucionário / revolucionária |
| temporary | temporário / temporária |
| salary | o salário |
| voluntary | voluntário / voluntária |
| legendary | lendário / lendária |
| literary | literário / literária |
| primary | primário / primária |
| secondary | secundário / secundária |
É necessário que chegues a horas amanhã.
It's necessary that you arrive on time tomorrow.
O salário mínimo em Portugal subiu este ano.
The minimum wage in Portugal went up this year.
Vou fazer um trabalho voluntário na associação do bairro.
I'm going to do volunteer work at the neighbourhood association.
English -ance / -ence ↔ Portuguese -ância / -ência
| English | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| importance | a importância |
| distance | a distância |
| ignorance | a ignorância |
| tolerance | a tolerância |
| assistance | a assistência |
| experience | a experiência |
| patience | a paciência |
| conscience | a consciência |
| difference | a diferença (note: -ença, not -ência, after -f-) |
| preference | a preferência |
| reference | a referência |
| presence | a presença (note: -ença) |
| absence | a ausência |
| excellence | a excelência |
| silence | o silêncio (note: -êncio, masculine) |
A distância entre Lisboa e o Porto é de cerca de trezentos quilómetros.
The distance between Lisbon and Porto is about three hundred kilometres.
Precisamos de mais paciência com as crianças.
We need more patience with the children.
A tua experiência profissional é valiosa para o cargo.
Your professional experience is valuable for the position.
English -ive ↔ Portuguese -ivo / -iva
| English | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| active | ativo / ativa (AO90) |
| creative | criativo / criativa |
| attractive | atrativo / atrativa (AO90) |
| effective | eficaz (note: different suffix!) |
| relative | relativo / relativa |
| positive | positivo / positiva |
| negative | negativo / negativa |
| productive | produtivo / produtiva (AO90) |
| constructive | construtivo / construtiva |
| collective | coletivo / coletiva (AO90) |
| expensive | caro / dispendioso (note: different root!) |
O pensamento criativo é fundamental no trabalho artístico.
Creative thinking is fundamental in artistic work.
Mantém-te ativo, faz exercício regularmente.
Stay active, exercise regularly.
A crítica construtiva ajuda-me a crescer.
Constructive criticism helps me grow.
English -ent / -ant ↔ Portuguese -ente / -ante
| English | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| different | diferente |
| important | importante |
| intelligent | inteligente |
| elegant | elegante |
| arrogant | arrogante |
| tolerant | tolerante |
| present | presente |
| absent | ausente |
| evident | evidente |
| silent | silencioso / silente (rare) |
| interesting | interessante (note: from interessar, not interest) |
O livro é completamente diferente do filme.
The book is completely different from the film.
Ela é a pessoa mais inteligente que conheço.
She is the smartest person I know.
A reunião foi interessante, embora longa.
The meeting was interesting, though long.
English -ly (adverb) ↔ Portuguese -mente
Adverbs in English take -ly; in PT-PT they take -mente added to the feminine singular of the adjective.
| English | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| quickly | rapidamente |
| finally | finalmente |
| really | realmente |
| probably | provavelmente |
| especially | especialmente |
| recently | recentemente |
| certainly | certamente |
| simply | simplesmente |
| normally | normalmente |
| generally | geralmente |
| actually (in fact) | na verdade / de facto (NOT atualmente — see false friends!) |
Finalmente chegámos ao fim da viagem!
Finally we've reached the end of the trip!
Provavelmente vai chover amanhã.
It'll probably rain tomorrow.
Normalmente acordo às sete da manhã.
I usually wake up at seven in the morning.
English verbs in -ize / -ate ↔ Portuguese -izar / -ar
| English | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| to organize | organizar |
| to realize (understand) | perceber / aperceber-se (NOT realizar — see false friends!) |
| to realize (achieve) | realizar |
| to modernize | modernizar |
| to digitize | digitalizar |
| to criticize | criticar (note: no -izar) |
| to communicate | comunicar |
| to create | criar |
| to celebrate | celebrar |
| to operate | operar |
| to participate | participar |
| to indicate | indicar |
Vou organizar os papéis antes do fim de semana.
I'll organize the papers before the weekend.
Quero realizar o meu sonho de viajar pela Ásia.
I want to realize (fulfill) my dream of traveling through Asia.
Phonological patterns beyond suffixes
Some sound correspondences apply to roots, not just endings. Learning them lets you spot cognates that don't match a suffix pattern.
English ph ↔ Portuguese f
Both languages descend from Greek φ (phi); Portuguese simplifies it to f.
| English | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| philosophy | filosofia |
| physics | física |
| photograph | fotografia |
| phantom | fantasma |
| phase | fase |
| phenomenon | fenómeno |
| phone | fone / telefone |
| geography | geografia |
English th ↔ Portuguese t
| English | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| theory | teoria |
| theme | tema |
| theatre | teatro |
| athlete | atleta |
| mathematics | matemática |
| thesis | tese |
| theology | teologia |
English ch (hard, as in choir) ↔ Portuguese c / qu
| English | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| chorus | coro |
| character | caráter / carácter |
| chemistry | química |
| archive | arquivo |
| monarchy | monarquia |
| architecture | arquitetura |
English initial s + consonant ↔ Portuguese es + consonant
Portuguese (like Spanish) dislikes word-initial s followed by another consonant, and adds e- at the start.
| English | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| station | estação |
| special | especial |
| spy | espião |
| stadium | estádio |
| strategy | estratégia |
| scandal | escândalo |
| student | estudante |
| spaghetti | esparguete |
Estacionei em frente ao estádio e fui a pé à estação.
I parked in front of the stadium and walked to the station.
O filme dos espiões é uma boa escolha para esta noite.
The spy film is a good choice for tonight.
False friends (falsos amigos) — the landmines
Not every word that looks like an English cognate has the English meaning. A careless English speaker who assumes eventualmente means "eventually" will embarrass themselves in business meetings. Here is the list of the most dangerous PT-PT false friends, worth memorizing before they catch you out.
The classic false friends
| PT-PT word | Apparent meaning | Real meaning |
|---|---|---|
| atual / atualmente | "actual(ly)" | current(ly), at present — never "in fact" |
| eventualmente | "eventually" | possibly, maybe — never "in the end" |
| livraria | "library" | bookshop — library is biblioteca |
| sensível | "sensible" | sensitive (emotionally) — sensible is sensato |
| constipação / estar constipado | "constipation" | cold/flu — constipation is obstipação or prisão de ventre |
| esquisito | "exquisite" | strange, weird — exquisite is requintado, primoroso |
| embaraçado / embaraçada | "embarrassed" | tangled, entangled — embarrassed is envergonhado (PT-PT) — though extended colloquial use does mean "embarrassed" |
| parentes | "parents" | relatives (any relatives) — parents is pais |
| colégio | "college" | secondary school / private school — college is universidade / faculdade |
| pretender | "to pretend" | to intend, to want — to pretend is fingir |
| assistir | "to assist" | usually to attend, to watch (a match, a show); assistir can also mean "to help" but context varies |
| realizar | "to realize (understand)" | to carry out, to perform, to fulfill — to realize (understand) is aperceber-se, perceber |
| a massa | "mass" (religious) | dough, pasta, batter — Mass is a missa |
| a loja | — | shop, store — NOT "lodge" |
| discutir | "discuss" | often to argue, to quarrel — discuss is also debater, conversar sobre |
| educado | "educated" | well-mannered, polite — educated is instruído, culto |
| a camisola | "camisole" | jumper, sweater — camisole is camisa interior |
| o êxito | "exit" | success — exit is saída |
| a fábrica | "fabric" | factory, plant — fabric is tecido |
| grosso | "gross" (disgusting) | thick (dimension) — gross is nojento, repugnante |
| preservativo | "preservative" | condom — preservative is conservante |
| lanche | "lunch" | afternoon snack / tea — lunch is almoço |
| a pasta | "pasta" | folder, briefcase — pasta (the food) is massa |
| o ralo | "rail" | drain — rail is carril, via |
| a data | "data" | date (calendar) — data is dados |
| particular | "particular" | private (as in aula particular — private class) — particular as adjective overlaps with English but the noun usage diverges |
A situação atual é muito diferente da que tínhamos há cinco anos.
The current situation is very different from what we had five years ago. (atual = current, not actual)
Eventualmente, poderemos considerar essa proposta.
Possibly, we could consider that proposal. (eventualmente = possibly, not eventually)
Passei pela livraria para comprar o novo livro do Saramago.
I stopped by the bookshop to buy Saramago's new book. (livraria = bookshop, not library)
Ela é muito sensível — qualquer crítica a magoa.
She is very sensitive — any criticism hurts her. (sensível = sensitive, not sensible)
Estou constipada desde sexta-feira — sinto-me péssima.
I've had a cold since Friday — I feel terrible. (constipada = cold/flu, not constipated)
Aquele gajo é um tipo esquisito — não confio nele.
That guy is a weird one — I don't trust him. (esquisito = weird, not exquisite)
Vou passar o Natal com os meus parentes no Porto.
I'm going to spend Christmas with my relatives in Porto. (parentes = relatives, not parents)
Quando saí do colégio aos dezoito, fui para a universidade.
When I left secondary school at eighteen, I went to university. (colégio = school, not college)
Pretendo voltar a Portugal no próximo verão.
I intend to return to Portugal next summer. (pretendo = I intend, not I pretend)
Assisti à final do Campeonato Nacional.
I watched the National Championship final. (assistir = to watch/attend)
Apercebi-me de que tinha esquecido as chaves em casa.
I realized I had forgotten the keys at home. (realize = perceber/aperceber-se, not realizar)
Os meus pais vivem em Coimbra há vinte anos.
My parents have lived in Coimbra for twenty years. (pais = parents; parentes = relatives)
Partial false friends (sometimes cognate, sometimes not)
A trickier category — words that mean the "English" thing in some contexts but something different in others.
| PT-PT word | English-like meaning | Additional PT-PT meaning(s) |
|---|---|---|
| agenda | agenda (list of items) | also: diary, planner |
| ocasião | occasion | often: opportunity, bargain |
| propina | — | university tuition fee in PT-PT (in BR it can mean "bribe" — register mismatch) |
| prender | to apprehend (rare) | to arrest; to fasten |
| polícia | police | also: police officer (o/a polícia) |
| motel | motel | in PT-PT often: a place for couples (not like US roadside motel) |
| suceder | to succeed (follow after) | to happen is the more common sense |
| deceção | deception (pre-AO90: decepção) | disappointment — not "deception" (which is engano) |
Tenho as reuniões todas na agenda deste mês.
I have all the meetings in this month's planner. (agenda = planner here, not agenda)
As propinas universitárias subiram este ano.
University tuition fees went up this year. (propinas = tuition fees in PT-PT)
Sucedeu uma coisa estranha no supermercado.
Something strange happened at the supermarket. (suceder = to happen here, not to succeed)
A deceção foi enorme quando soube que não me aceitaram.
The disappointment was huge when I found out they hadn't accepted me. (deceção = disappointment, not deception)
A quick decoder: how to predict a PT-PT cognate from an English word
- Identify the English suffix (-tion, -ity, -ous, -able, -al, -ic, -ary, -ive, etc.)
- Apply the Portuguese correspondence from the tables above.
- Check stress: PT-PT stresses most of these cognates on the antepenult, marked with an accent (nação, realidade, criativo, lógico).
- Adjust for AO90: if the older English-Portuguese dictionary says acção or actualizar, drop the silent c (ação, atualizar).
- Verify gender:
- -ção, -são, -dade, -ência, -ância, -agem → feminine
- -mento, -ismo → masculine
- -ista → common gender
- -or, -ão (where a noun) → usually masculine, with feminine -ora, -ã/-ona
- Scan the false-friends list — especially for atual, eventual, livraria, sensível, esquisito, pretender, parentes, realizar.
If all that passes, you probably have a real cognate, and you can use it confidently.
Why this matters for learners
The cognate system is the single biggest accelerator an English speaker has when learning Portuguese. By the time you finish A1, you already passively know thousands of Portuguese words — you just don't know how to decode them. Once you internalize the suffix correspondences, your reading level leaps ahead of your speaking level because every Latinate word in a newspaper article becomes transparent.
The active side is slower. To produce a cognate, you need to:
- Know the correct Portuguese ending (not calque the English one)
- Know the gender (so the article and modifiers agree)
- Know the stress and write the accent correctly
- Avoid false friends
Most of these become automatic with reading exposure. But the false friends never stop being traps — they have to be learned individually and remembered.
Common mistakes
❌ Atualmente o filme é muito bom.
*Atualmente* means
✅ Na verdade, o filme é muito bom.
Actually, the film is very good.
❌ Eventualmente chegámos a Lisboa depois de dez horas.
*Eventualmente* means
✅ Finalmente chegámos a Lisboa depois de dez horas.
We eventually (finally) arrived in Lisbon after ten hours.
❌ Fui à livraria procurar um livro.
Correct if the speaker meant a bookshop; wrong if they meant a library. For a library, say *biblioteca*.
✅ Fui à biblioteca procurar um livro.
I went to the library to look for a book.
❌ Ele é uma pessoa muito sensível, sabe o que faz.
*Sensível* means
✅ Ele é uma pessoa muito sensata, sabe o que faz.
He's a very sensible person, he knows what he's doing.
❌ Vou visitar os meus parentes (meaning parents) este fim de semana.
*Parentes* means
✅ Vou visitar os meus pais este fim de semana.
I'm going to visit my parents this weekend.
❌ Pretendo que ele venha. (meaning: I pretend)
*Pretender* means
✅ Finjo que ele virá.
I pretend he'll come. (vs. *pretendo que venha* = I intend that he should come)
❌ Estou constipada, por isso não estou a fazer xixi há dois dias.
*Constipada* means
✅ Estou com prisão de ventre há dois dias.
I've been constipated for two days.
❌ Esta situação é gross.
*Grosso* (the apparent cognate) means
✅ Esta situação é nojenta.
This situation is gross.
❌ Esta comida tem muitos preservativos.
*Preservativo* means
✅ Esta comida tem muitos conservantes.
This food has a lot of preservatives.
❌ Finalmente realizei que estava errado. (meaning: I realized)
*Realizar* in PT-PT means
✅ Finalmente apercebi-me de que estava errado.
I finally realized I was wrong.
Key takeaways
- Roughly a third of frequent English vocabulary has a direct PT-PT cognate. Learning the suffix correspondences unlocks thousands of words at once.
- The big productive mappings: -tion → -ção (feminine), -sion → -são (feminine), -ity → -idade (feminine), -ism → -ismo (masculine), -ist → -ista (common gender), -ous → -oso, -able/-ible → -ável/-ível, -al → -al, -ic → -ico, -ary → -ário, -ance/-ence → -ância/-ência, -ive → -ivo, -ent/-ant → -ente/-ante, -ly → -mente, -ize → -izar.
- Phonological patterns beyond suffixes: ph → f (filosofia), th → t (teoria), ch (hard) → c/qu (química), initial s-consonant → es- (estação, especial).
- The AO90 dropped silent c and p in many cognates: acção → ação, activo → ativo, optimista → otimista, baptismo → batismo.
- False friends are the main trap: atualmente ≠ "actually" (= currently), eventualmente ≠ "eventually" (= possibly), livraria ≠ "library" (= bookshop), sensível ≠ "sensible" (= sensitive), constipação ≠ "constipation" (= cold), esquisito ≠ "exquisite" (= weird), pretender ≠ "to pretend" (= to intend), parentes ≠ "parents" (= relatives), colégio ≠ "college" (= secondary school), realizar ≠ "to realize/understand" (= to carry out), preservativo ≠ "preservative" (= condom).
- Stress usually falls on the antepenult in cognates, marked with an accent: nação, história, económico, lógico, trágico.
- Use the quick decoder: identify the English suffix, apply the correspondence, check stress, adjust for AO90, verify gender, and scan for false-friend status.
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Start learning Portuguese→Related Topics
- Word Formation OverviewB1 — How Portuguese creates new words — derivation (prefixes and suffixes), composition (compound words), conversion, and the orthographic rules of the Acordo Ortográfico 1990.
- Noun-Forming SuffixesB1 — The productive suffixes European Portuguese uses to build nouns — action, abstract quality, agent, collective, place, and evaluative — with the register and gender notes each one carries.
- Adjective-Forming SuffixesB1 — The productive suffixes European Portuguese uses to build adjectives from nouns, verbs, and other adjectives — what each suffix means, what it attaches to, and the register notes that go with it.
- Etymology and Learned WordsC2 — The historical layers of European Portuguese vocabulary — Vulgar Latin inheritance, learned Latinisms, the Arabic substrate, Germanic and French borrowings, English contact, and the global trade words that travelled on Portuguese ships.
- False Friends (English-Portuguese)A2 — Portuguese words that look like English words but mean something different — the traps that produce embarrassing, funny, or medically alarming mistakes.
- Direct Translation Errors (Calques)A2 — The most common word-for-word mistranslations from English into European Portuguese — and the natural expressions that replace them.