Let’s talk about the relationship between spellings and spoken sounds. Portuguese, like many languages, isn’t a case of “what you see is what you get.” Letters can render multiple sounds, and a single sound can be spelled in various ways. Let’s explore a few examples.
s vs. /s/
s
S can render 4 sounds, namely /s/, /z/, /ʃ/, and /ʒ/.
/s/ (voiceless alveolar fricative)
S renders /s/ in the following situations:
- at the beginning of words: sumo, saco, sino
- preceded by n or r: curso, arsenal, tenso
- double ss (always in between vowels): pressão, passar, processo
/z/ (voiced alveolar fricative)
S renders /z/ in the following situation:
- in between 2 vowels: casa, mesa, asa
/ʃ/ (voiceless postalveolar fricative)
S renders /ʃ/ in the following situations:
- at the end of words: uvas, bananas, laranjas
- before voiceless consonants: teste, mosca, áspero
/ʒ/ (voiced postalveolar fricative)
S renders /ʒ/ in the following situation:
- before voiced consonants: esboço, prisma, desde
/s/
The following spellings will render /s/:
- s at the beginning of words: senha, santo, sino
- ss in between vowels: assassino, massa, pássaro
- c followed by e or i: cem, cimento, alcance
- ç (followed by a, o, or u): aço, açúcar, confiança
- x (exceptionally): próximo, máximo, auxiliar
z vs. /z/
z
Z can render 2 sounds: /z/ and /ʃ/.
/z/ (voiced alveolar fricative)
Z renders /z/ in the following situations:
- at the beginning of words: zero, zinco, zoológico
- in between vowels: bizarro, amizade, certeza
/ʃ/ (voiceless postalveolar fricative)
Z renders /ʃ/ in the following situation:
- at the end of words: paz, feliz, luz
/z/
The following spellings will render /z/:
- z at the beginning of words: zero, zinco, zoológico
- z in between vowels: bizarro, amizade, certeza
- x in words starting with ex and followed by any vowel: exato, exótico, exemplo
Learn more about the Portuguese sound system: Master European Portuguese Pronunciation: Essential Guide for Beginners and Beyond.
