⭐ Portuguese vowels aren't steady like Spanish — a final -o is "oo" (not "oh") and unstressed vowels get swallowed.
Vowels
a (stressed) → "ah" pá = pah
a (unstressed) → "uh" casa = CA-zuh
e (stressed) → "eh" café = ka-FEH
e (unstressed/final) → weak "uh" de = duh (not "dee"/"deh") · noite = NOY-tuh
i → "ee" filho = FEE-lyoo
o (stressed) → "oh" avó = a-VOH
o (unstressed/final) → "oo" gato = GA-too
u → "oo" tudo = TOO-doo
ã / â → nasal "uh" irmã = eer-MANG
ão → nasal "owng" não = nowng
Letter combos & the tricky S
lh → "ly" filho = FEE-lyoo
nh → "ny" (ñ) vinho = VEE-nyoo
ch / x → "sh" peixe = PAY-shuh
ç / ce,ci → soft "s" coração = -SOWNG
s (end/before hard) → "sh" está = shtá
s (between vowels) → "z" casa = CA-za
📖 Full sounds guide in the study sheet ↗