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How to Say ‘Is it a boy or a girl?’ in Portuguese

É menino ou menina?

eh meh-nee-noo oh meh-NEE-nah

[eh meh-nee-noo oh meh-NEE-nah]

Phrase Breakdown

É menino

eh meh-nee-noo

Is it a boy

'É' means 'is' and has an open 'e' sound like in 'bed'. In 'menino' the first 'e' is very weak: 'mni-nu'.

Example

É menino.

It's a boy.

Words in this phrase

[eh]

Form of the verb 'ser' used to identify or state something.

Example

É meu interesse conhecer melhor a empresa.

It is my interest to get to know the company better.

menino

[meh-nee-noo]

boy

A male child or young man.

Example

Já fui menino quando visitei a escola.

I was once a boy when I visited the school.

ou menina?

oh meh-NEE-nah

or a girl?

'Ou' means 'or' and sounds like 'oh'. Let your voice rise at the end of the question.

Example

Café ou chá?

Coffee or tea?

Words in this phrase

[oh]

Used to present an alternative in a question or comparison.

Example

No networking, posso perguntar se o ambiente é formal ou descontraído.

In networking, I can ask whether the atmosphere is formal or relaxed.

menina

[meh-NEE-nah]

girl

Feminine of 'menino'; used for babies and young girls.

Example

A menina está a dormir.

The girl is sleeping.

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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