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Household objects in Portuguese: 40 words to know

Last updated July 7, 2026 · 7 min read

Here are 40 common Brazilian Portuguese household words, each with its gender article and a simple pronunciation guide. The list covers the rooms and objects around a home — a porta (door), a chave (key), o controle remoto (remote control) — the everyday nouns you'll actually reach for from the living room to the bathroom.

PortuguesePronunciationEnglish
a casaKAH-zahhouse
o quartoKWAR-tohbedroom
a salaSAH-lahliving room
o banheirobah-NYAY-rohbathroom
a portaPOR-tahdoor
a janelajah-NEH-lahwindow
a chaveSHAH-veekey
o sofásoh-FAHsofa
a camaKAH-mahbed
o travesseirotrah-veh-SAY-rohpillow
o cobertorkoh-ber-TORblanket
o lençollen-SOLbedsheet
a almofadaal-moh-FAH-dahcushion
o espelhoes-PAY-lyohmirror
a toalha de banhotoh-AH-lyah jee BAH-nyohbath towel
o sabonetesah-boh-NEH-cheesoap
a escova de denteses-KOH-vah jee DEN-cheesstoothbrush
o vaso sanitárioVAH-zoh sah-nee-TAH-ryohtoilet
o chuveiroshoo-VAY-rohshower
a televisãoteh-leh-vee-ZOWNGtelevision
o controle remotokon-TROH-lee heh-MOH-tohremote control
a luzloozlight
o interruptoreen-teh-hoop-TORlight switch
a tomadatoh-MAH-dahoutlet
o tapetetah-PEH-cheerug
a cortinakor-CHEE-nahcurtain
o relógioheh-LOH-jyohclock
a vassouravah-SOH-rahbroom
o ventiladorven-chee-lah-DORfan
a máquina de lavarMAH-kee-nah jee lah-VARwashing machine
o guarda-roupaGWAR-dah HOH-pahwardrobe / closet
a escadaes-KAH-dahstairs
a paredepah-REH-jeewall
o tetoTEH-tohceiling
o chãoshowngfloor
a plantaPLAHN-tahplant
a lâmpadaLAHM-pah-dahlightbulb
a caixaKAI-shahbox
o cabidekah-BEE-jeehanger
o aspirador de póas-pee-rah-DOR jee POHvacuum cleaner
Endings hint at gender — don't trust them blindly. Most words ending in -o are masculine and most ending in -a are feminine, but this list has real exceptions: a televisão and a luz are both feminine despite not ending in -a, and o sofá is masculine despite ending in á. The article is doing real work here, so let it come attached to the noun instead of guessing from the last letter.

Phrases you can actually say

  1. Onde está a chave? — Where's the key?
  2. A porta está aberta. — The door is open.
  3. Vou fechar a janela. — I'm going to close the window.
  4. Cadê o controle remoto? — Where's the remote control?
  5. Preciso lavar o lençol. — I need to wash the bedsheet.
  6. A luz do banheiro não acende. — The bathroom light won't turn on.
  7. Passa a vassoura na sala. — Sweep the living room.
  8. O ventilador está ligado na tomada. — The fan is plugged into the outlet.

Catch them instead of memorizing them

A list like this is a starting point, not the finish line. The fastest way to make these words stick is to photograph the actual door, key, and remote control in your own home. Open CatchFrase in whichever room you're standing in and catch what's really there — CatchFrase names it in Brazilian Portuguese, reads it aloud, and builds an example sentence around the exact object you photographed, not a stock substitute.

Each catch becomes a collectible card with the word, its article, a phrase, audio, and a spot in your review queue. Spaced-repetition review (CatchFrase calls it smart review) brings a word back just before you're likely to forget it, so a name you catch once in your bedroom keeps resurfacing until it's automatic.

Being honest about the free tier: it's 10 catches a day, so a 40-word room-by-room list like this one takes about 4 days at that pace — a few short sessions, not one long study block. Work through the living room one day, the bathroom the next, and the words keep coming back on their own after that.

Common questions

Is this European or Brazilian Portuguese?

Brazilian Portuguese (pt-BR) only. CatchFrase doesn't currently teach European Portuguese vocabulary or pronunciation, so a few words and pronunciations here will differ from what you'd hear in Portugal.

How long does it take to catch every room in the house?

At 10 catches a day, this 40-word list takes about 4 days. A full home — kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, living room — takes a couple of weeks if you go room by room, which is exactly how CatchFrase is meant to be used.

Do I need to memorize all 40 words before I start?

No. Learn the words for the room you're standing in, then let the rest come from the objects around you as you need them. Vocabulary tied to something you're doing right now sticks better than a list studied cold.

Your house is 40 words of Portuguese waiting to be caught.

Free to start — 10 catches a day, no account needed. Photos never leave your phone except to name the word.

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