Animal: The False Sense of Security

The word animal is a comforting cognate for English speakers learning Portuguese. It looks the same and means the same thing. Easy, right? Almost.

The Pronunciation Trap

In English, we say “AN-uh-mal”, with the stress on the first syllable.

In European Portuguese, it’s pronounced ah-nee-MAL, with the stress on the last syllable.

• Ex: O animal é pequeno. (The animal is small.)

You can hear the correct pronunciation on Infopedia.

Why This Matters

Getting the stress wrong can make the word hard to understand, even if everything else is correct. Portuguese relies heavily on syllable stress to signal meaning.

It’s also a reminder that many Portuguese cognates don’t sound the way you expect.

Quick Tips

• Always check where the stress falls on the word.

• Listen to native speakers and repeat what you hear.

• Don’t trust your English instincts with pronunciation.

Final Thought

Animal is a friendly cognate, but don’t let it fool you. Pronouncing it correctly makes a big difference in how natural you sound.

Stay tuned for more pronunciation tips and Portuguese lookalike words that can trip you up!