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How to Say ‘A younger brother’ in Portuguese

Um irmão mais novo

oong eer-MOWN mysh NOH-voo

[oong eer-MOWN mysh NOH-voo]

💬 Usage Tip: Younger is mais novo, literally "more new", and older is mais velho.

Phrase Breakdown

Um irmão

oong eer-MOWN

A brother

'Um' means 'a'. 'Irmão' means 'brother' and ends in a nasal '-ão'.

Example

Tenho um irmão.

I have a brother.

Words in this phrase

[oong]

An indefinite article used before a masculine singular noun.

Example

Em «um» prazer, o artigo introduz a expressão educada.

In “a” pleasure, the article introduces the polite expression.

irmão

[eer-MOWN]

brother

Masculine noun for a male sibling.

Example

O meu irmão chama-se Rui.

My brother is called Rui.

mais novo

mysh NOH-voo

younger

Literally 'more new', meaning 'younger'. 'Mais velho' means 'older'.

Example

Ele é mais novo do que eu.

He is younger than me.

Words in this phrase

mais

[mysh]

Used to ask for additional information or greater quantity.

Example

Quero saber mais antes de me candidatar.

I want to know more before applying.

novo

[NOH-voo]

young

Literally 'new'; with 'mais' it means younger.

Example

A minha irmã é mais nova do que eu.

My sister is younger than me.

Guides for Portuguese learners

The Portuguese You Actually Need in Your First Month in PortugalThe European Portuguese phrases for your first weeks in Portugal: paperwork, renting a flat, the bank, the health centre, cafés, trains and your new neighbours.

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