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Portugal Glossary

Portugal & Portuguese Glossary

Read a glossary of Portuguese words and phrases. Find useful Portuguese for traveling in Portugal and Madeira.

Further information on many of the listed terms is available via accompanying links, plus information on related products.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

Portuguese Flag (Bandeira Nacional).
The Portuguese national flag or Bandeira Nacional

Age of Discoveries - 15th-16th century voyages to Africa, India, South America and the Far East. Read more on the Age of Discoveries.

Alameda - promenade.

Albergaria - charitable institution that provided poor relief.

Albufeira - lagoon, reservoir.

Alcaçova - citadel.

Aldeia - village.

Alto/a - upper.

Amante - lover.

Ano tormentoso - 1807 when Napoleonic armies invaded Portugal and the royal family fled to Brazil.

Anta - pre-historic tomb.

Armazem - warehouse.

Armillary Sphere - navigational aid use by navigators (see "Age of the Discoveries")

Arrayal - street party.

Arroba - measure of weight.

Artesanato - handicraft shop.

Asiento - contract.

Atalaia - watch-tower.

Avenida - Avenue.

Azulejos - hand-painted ceramic tile and a cultural icon of Portugal. Read more on azulejos

Azeitonas - olives.

Aula de comércio - commercial school.

Azulejo - decorative tile.

B

Bacalhau - dried salt cod. Read more on Portuguese food

Bairro - district, city area.

Baixa - lower, downtown commercial district.

Balneario - spa, health resort.

Barcos rabelos - boats used to transport port wine on the River Duoro.

Barragem - dam.

Beco - cul-de-sac.

Benfica - Lisbon football team. Read more on Portuguese football

Biblioteca - library.

Bilhete - ticket.

Bilhete diario - day pass.

Borrego - lamb.

C

Cabines - phone boxes.

Cabrito - goat

Caderneta - book of tickets (usually 10) for public transport.

Caldas - hot spring, spa.

Câmara Municipal - city hall.

Campo - field or sports arena.

Cantiga - ballad.

Capela - chapel.

Capitão - captain.

Carnaval - carnival

Casa - house.

Casa da Índia - Lisbon-based crown agency that supervised trade during the Age of Discovery.

Casa de hôspedes - rooms with usually shared facilities.

Casa de pasto - cheap lodgings.

Caseiro - home-made.

Casais - hut.

Castelo - castle, fortress.

Castro - fort.

Cavaleiro - rank for lesser nobility.

Centro de saude - medical centre.

Centro historico - historic centre.

Cerveja - beer.

Chafariz - public fountain.

Cidade - city.

Claustro - cloisters.

Colégio - secondary school; Jesuit college.

Concelho - municipality; council.

Condado portucalense - earldom of Portugal before independence.

Confraria - brotherhood.

Conselho - council, for example, conselho de estado - council of state.

Convento - Convent (or old church).

Converso - Jew converted to Christianity.

Corregedor - magistrate.

Correios - post office.

Cortes - early Parliament.

Cortiça - cork.

Cruzado - 15th century gold coin.

Cruzeiro - cross.

D

Degredado - criminal sentenced to exile.

Direita - right.

Distriti - district.

Dízimos - tithes.

Dobra - 18th century gold coin.

Dobrada - tripe.

Dom - honorific "Sir".

Dona - honorific "Madam".

Dormida - room.

Dourada - bream.

E

Ecoponto - Recycling point.

Eléctrico - tram

Elevador - funicular.

Enguia - eel.

Escrivão - secretary.

Escudo - gold coin.

Esplanada - promenade.

Estaçao - station.

Espressos - express buses. Read more on Portuguese buses

Estrada - road/highway.

F

Fadista - Fado singer.

Fado - traditional Portuguese singing style. Read more on fado

Fama - reputation.

Farmácia - pharmacy, chemists.

Farol - lighthouse.

Fazenda - landed property.

Feira - fair

Festa - festival. Read more on Portuguese festivals

Fidalgo - nobleman.

Fonte - fountain.

Foral - charter.

Foro - legal immunity.

Fortaleza - fort.

Freguesia - local parish.

Frito - fried.

G

Gambas - king prawns.

Garfo - fork.

Garum - sauce made from fermented fish.

GNR - Guarda Nacional Republicana (National Guard/gendarmerie).

Grande - high-ranking nobleman.

Grao - chickpeas.

Gruta - cave.

Grelhado - grilled.

Guitarra - guitar (see Fado).

H

Horario - timetable.

Hospedaria - hostel/cheap pension. Read more on Portuguese hostels

I

IC - intercidade - inter-city trains. Read more on Portuguese trains

Igreja - church.

Igreja matriz - parish church.

Ilha - island.

Infante/a - Prince/Princess.

Iscas - liver.

IVA - Imposto sobre Valor Acrescentado (VAT).

J

Jardim - Garden.

Judiaria - former Jewish quarter.

Junta - board, committee.

K

Knights Templar - religious order of warrior monks based in Tomar.

L

Lago - lake.

Lagosta - lobster.

Largo - square.

Letrado - graduate (in law).

Levada - an aqueduct or irrigation channel in Madeira.

Linguado - sole.

Litoral - coastal area.

Lisboetas - people from Lisbon.

Loggia - covered area or porch on the side of a building.

Lugar - neighborhood.

Lulas - squid.

Moliceiro boats in Aveiro, Portugal.
Moliceiro boats in Aveiro, Portugal

M

Maçã - apple

Manueline - early 16th style of architecture named after the earlier reign of Dom Manuel (1495-1521).

Marranos - "New Christians" - Jews who converted to Christianity during the Inquisition. A pejorative term.

Marisquería - shellfish bar, seafood restaurant.

Menhir - prehistoric standing stone.

Mercado - market.

Mercado municipal - city (municipal) market.

Mesa - table.

Miradouro - viewing point.

Moliceiro - shallow boats in the Aveiro lagoon Read more.

Montado - savannah-like plains of the Alentejo region.

Mosteiro - monastery.

Mozarab - Christians living in al-Andalus and absorbing much Arab culture.

Mudéjar - Iberian Muslim living under Chritian rule.

Museu - museum.

Muwallad - Muslim of Iberian origin.

N

Natal - Christmas.

Nossa Senhora - "Our Lady" (Virgin Mary).

No forno - baked.

Nora - from the Arabic noura meaning well with water raised by a gearwheel and donkey.

O

Ostras - oysters.

Ouvidor - judge.

P

Paço - palace/country house.

Palacete - mansion.

Palacio - palace.

Palheiros - colorful, A-frame, thatched cottages on Madeira - Read more.

Paragem - bus stop.

Parque - park.

Parque Nacional - National Park.

Partida - departure.

Peixe - fish.

Pelourinho - pillory.

Pensão - pension, B&B.

Poderoso - locally important person.

Poios - man-made terraces on Madeira.

Polvo - octopus.

Ponte - bridge.

Portagem - toll road.

Pousada - upmarket guesthouses. Read more on Portuguese pousadas

Pousada de juventude - youth hostels.

Portagem - toll road.

Praça - square.

Praça de touros - bullring.

Praia - beach.

PSP - Policia de Segurança Publica - the police.

Q

Qadi - Islamic judge.

Quinta - country estate/villa.

Quarto de casal - room with double bed.

Queijo - cheese.

R

Raia - skate (fish).

Raio X - X-ray.

Rapidas - regional buses.

Razia - raid.

Relaxado - prisoner of the Inquisition handed over to secular authorities for execution.

Residencial - guesthouse.

Ria - lagoon.

Ribeiro - stream.

Rio - river.

Romaria - pilgrimage.

Rua - street.

S

Sala do capitulo - chapterhouse.

Salmão - salmon.

Salmonete - red mullet.

Sanitarios - public toilets.

Sapateira - crab.

Sardinhas - sardines.

Saudade - an emotional state of melancholic or nostalgic longing from the Latin solitās, solitātem, meaning "solitude". Read more on saudade.

- cathedral.

Selos - stamps.

Senhor - man.

Senhora - woman.

Serra - mountain/mountain range.

Sesmaria - uncultivated land.

Sisas - tax; excise duties.

Socorro - subsidy.

Solar - manor house.

Sporting - major Lisbon football club, eternal rivals of Benfica.

Supermercado - supermarket.

T

Tabacaria - tobacconist.

Taifa - Muslim princedom.

Talha dourado - ornamental gilt wood.

Tasca - tavern.

Taveiradas - refers to the leaked 1980's sex tapes of architect Tomás Taveira.

Termas - hot springs.

Torre de menagem - castle keep.

Tourada - bull fight.

Tripas - tripe.

Trova - ballad.

Truta - trout.

Turismo - tourist office. Read more on Portuguese turismo

U

Uvas - grapes.

V

Vaca - beef.

Vila - town.

Vinho tinto - red wine. Read more on Portuguese wine

Vincente Gil - (1465-1537) playwright and poet. Read more about Gil Vicente

Vinho branco - white wine.

Vinho verde - lit. "green wine" - young, light, slightly sparkling wines produced mainly in the Minho region of northeast Portugal. Read more

Vitela - veal.

W

Wellington - British general in the Peninsula War then known as Arthur Wellesley.

X

Xabregas - district in Lisbon.

Y

Z

Zamora - town in Spain where treaty was signed in 1143 that recognized Portuguese independence from the Kingdom of León and created Portugal as a nation. Read more

Portuguese Food Glossary

Spanish Food Glossary

Spain Glossary

Britain Glossary



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