Portuguese uses a variety of accent marks that are essential for proper spelling and pronunciation. Whether you’re learning Brazilian Portuguese, European Portuguese, or communicating with Portuguese speakers worldwide, understanding and typing these accents correctly is crucial.
This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about Portuguese accents, including how to type á, à, â, ã, é, ê, í, ó, ô, õ, ú, ç, and more on Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, and Chromebook.
Portuguese Accents Overview
Portuguese uses five types of accent marks plus the cedilla:
Acute accent (´): á, é, í, ó, ú
Grave accent (`): à
Circumflex (^): â, ê, ô
Tilde (~): ã, õ
Dieresis/Trema (¨): (rare in modern Portuguese)
Cedilla (¸): ç
The tilde is particularly important in Portuguese, as it creates nasal vowel sounds that are fundamental to the language’s pronunciation.
Why Portuguese Accents Matter
Portuguese accents serve multiple important functions:
Pronunciation guidance:
Accents tell you exactly how to pronounce vowels and where to stress syllables. The difference between “e” (which can be silent) and “é” (always pronounced) is crucial.
Distinguishing words:
Many Portuguese words differ only by their accents:
- e (and) vs. é (is)
- para (for/to) vs. pará (will stop)
- por (by/for) vs. pôr (to put)
- pode (can) vs. pôde (could)
- avó (grandmother) vs. avô (grandfather)
Indicating nasal sounds:
The tilde (~) creates the distinctive nasal vowel sounds that are characteristic of Portuguese:
- não (no/not)
- mão (hand)
- irmã (sister)
Marking stress:
Accents show which syllable receives emphasis when it differs from standard Portuguese stress patterns.
Brazilian Portuguese vs. European Portuguese
Both varieties use the same accent marks and follow the same spelling rules, though there are some vocabulary and pronunciation differences:
Spelling: Identical accent usage and rules
Pronunciation: Different but both use the same written accents
Vocabulary: Some different words but same accent system
This guide applies to both Brazilian and European Portuguese.
The Acute Accent: á, é, í, ó, ú
The acute accent indicates both stress and an open vowel sound.
á (a with acute accent)
Pronunciation: Open “ah” sound
Common words:
- água (water)
- está (is/are)
- matemática (mathematics)
- lá (there)
- já (already)
- café (coffee)
é (e with acute accent)
Pronunciation: Open “eh” sound
Common words:
- é (is)
- você (you)
- café (coffee)
- até (until)
- José (Joseph)
- pé (foot)
í (i with acute accent)
Pronunciation: Stressed “ee” sound
Common words:
- país (country)
- aí (there)
- saída (exit)
- baú (trunk/chest)
ó (o with acute accent)
Pronunciation: Open “aw” sound
Common words:
- avó (grandmother)
- só (only/alone)
- nó (knot)
- pó (dust/powder)
ú (u with acute accent)
Pronunciation: Stressed “oo” sound
Common words:
- saúde (health)
- baú (trunk)
- Raúl (Raul)
The Grave Accent: à
The grave accent appears almost exclusively on the letter “a” in Portuguese and indicates a contraction.
à (a with grave accent)
Usage: Contraction of preposition “a” + article “a”
Pronunciation: Like “ah”
Common usage:
- à (to the – feminine)
- às (to the – plural)
- àquele (to that)
- àquela (to that – feminine)
Example: Vou à praia (I’m going to the beach)
The Circumflex: â, ê, ô
The circumflex indicates a closed vowel sound and often marks stress.
â (a with circumflex)
Pronunciation: Closed nasal “ah”
Common words:
- âmbito (scope/sphere)
- ânimo (spirit/mood)
- câmara (chamber)
- lâmpada (lamp)
ê (e with circumflex)
Pronunciation: Closed “ay” sound
Common words:
- você (you)
- ês (the letter S)
- português (Portuguese)
- três (three)
- inglês (English)
ô (o with circumflex)
Pronunciation: Closed “oh” sound
Common words:
- avô (grandfather)
- pôr (to put)
- vô (grandpa – informal)
Key distinction:
- avó (grandmother) vs. avô (grandfather)
- pode (can) vs. pôde (could/was able to)
The Tilde: ã, õ
The tilde is one of Portuguese’s most distinctive features, creating nasal vowel sounds.
ã (a with tilde)
Pronunciation: Nasal “ahn” sound
Common words:
- não (no/not)
- mão (hand)
- irmã (sister)
- manhã (morning)
- alemã (German – feminine)
- maçã (apple)
- lã (wool)
õ (o with tilde)
Pronunciation: Nasal “ohn” sound
Common words:
- põe (puts)
- limões (lemons)
- botões (buttons)
- canções (songs)
- corações (hearts)
Important note: The tilde creates a nasal sound similar to French “on” but is unique to Portuguese pronunciation.
The Cedilla: ç
The cedilla appears only under the letter “c” and changes its pronunciation.
Pronunciation: Makes “c” sound like “s”
Common words:
- criança (child)
- França (France)
- canção (song)
- coração (heart)
- português (Portuguese)
- cabeça (head)
- começar (to begin)
Usage rule: ç appears before a, o, or u. Before e or i, regular “c” already sounds like “s,” so no cedilla is needed.
How to Type Portuguese Accents on Windows
Method 1: Alt Codes
Hold Alt and type the code on your numeric keypad:
Acute accents:
- á = Alt + 160
- é = Alt + 130
- í = Alt + 161
- ó = Alt + 162
- ú = Alt + 163
- Á = Alt + 0193
- É = Alt + 144
- Í = Alt + 0205
- Ó = Alt + 0211
- Ú = Alt + 0218
Circumflex:
- â = Alt + 131
- ê = Alt + 136
- ô = Alt + 147
- Â = Alt + 0194
- Ê = Alt + 0202
- Ô = Alt + 0212
Tilde:
- ã = Alt + 0227
- õ = Alt + 0245
- Ã = Alt + 0195
- Õ = Alt + 0213
Grave accent:
- à = Alt + 133
- À = Alt + 0192
Cedilla:
- ç = Alt + 135
- Ç = Alt + 128
Method 2: US International Keyboard
- Enable US International keyboard in Windows Settings
- Type accent, then letter:
- Acute (á): apostrophe (‘), then a
- Circumflex (â): Shift+6 (^), then a
- Tilde (ã): Shift+` (~), then a
- Grave (à): backtick (`), then a
- Cedilla (ç): apostrophe, then c
How to Type Portuguese Accents on Mac
Mac offers intuitive shortcuts using the Option key:
Acute accent (á, é, í, ó, ú)
Option + e, then press the vowel
- Option + e, then a = á
- Option + e, then e = é
- Option + e, then i = í
- Option + e, then o = ó
- Option + e, then u = ú
Circumflex (â, ê, ô)
Option + i, then press the vowel
- Option + i, then a = â
- Option + i, then e = ê
- Option + i, then o = ô
Tilde (ã, õ)
Option + n, then press the vowel
- Option + n, then a = ã
- Option + n, then o = õ
Grave accent (à)
Option + ` (backtick), then press a
- Option + `, then a = à
Cedilla (ç)
Option + c = ç
Uppercase
Use the same combinations but hold Shift when typing the vowel:
- Option + e, then Shift + A = Á
- Option + n, then Shift + A = Ã
How to Type Portuguese Accents on iPhone and iPad
iOS makes Portuguese accents easy with press-and-hold:
Press and Hold Method
- Tap and hold the letter
- Accent options appear in a popup
- Slide to the accent you need
Quick access:
- Hold a → choose á, à, â, or ã
- Hold e → choose é or ê
- Hold i → choose í
- Hold o → choose ó, ô, or õ
- Hold u → choose ú
- Hold c → choose ç
Portuguese Keyboard
Add the Portuguese keyboard for better autocorrect:
- Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards
- Add New Keyboard → Portuguese
- Choose Portuguese (Brazil) or Portuguese (Portugal)
- Toggle between keyboards with the globe icon 🌐
How to Type Portuguese Accents on Android
Android uses the same press-and-hold method:
Press and Hold
- Press and hold the letter
- Accent options appear
- Slide to select the accent
All Portuguese accents are available through this method.
Add Portuguese Keyboard
- Settings → System → Languages & input
- Virtual keyboard → Gboard
- Languages → Add keyboard → Portuguese
- Choose Brazilian or European Portuguese
- Switch with the globe icon 🌐
How to Type Portuguese Accents on Chromebook
Method 1: US International Keyboard
- Settings → Languages and inputs → Input methods
- Add “US International Keyboard”
- Type accent then letter:
- ‘ then a = á
- ^ then a = â
- ~ then a = ã
- ` then a = à
- ‘ then c = ç
Method 2: Portuguese Keyboard
Add the Portuguese keyboard layout for dedicated accent keys.
Method 3: On-Screen Keyboard
Enable the on-screen keyboard to access special characters.
Quick Reference: Portuguese Accents by Platform
á (a acute):
- Windows: Alt + 160
- Mac: Option+e, then a
- iOS/Android: Hold a
- Chromebook: ‘a
ã (a tilde):
- Windows: Alt + 0227
- Mac: Option+n, then a
- iOS/Android: Hold a
- Chromebook: ~a
â (a circumflex):
- Windows: Alt + 131
- Mac: Option+i, then a
- iOS/Android: Hold a
- Chromebook: ^a
à (a grave):
- Windows: Alt + 133
- Mac: Option+`, then a
- iOS/Android: Hold a
- Chromebook: `a
ç (c cedilla):
- Windows: Alt + 135
- Mac: Option+c
- iOS/Android: Hold c
- Chromebook: ‘c
Common Portuguese Words with Accents
Essential Vocabulary
Greetings:
- Olá (hello)
- Bom dia (good morning) – no accents
- Boa tarde (good afternoon) – no accents
- Até logo (see you later)
Common verbs:
- É (is)
- Está (is/are – temporary state)
- Têm (have – plural)
- Vê (sees)
- Pôr (to put)
Everyday words:
- Água (water)
- Café (coffee)
- Pão (bread)
- Não (no/not)
- Mão (hand)
- Coração (heart)
- Irmão (brother)
- Irmã (sister)
Question Words
- Você (you)
- Está (is)
- Três (three)
Family
- Avô (grandfather)
- Avó (grandmother)
- Irmão (brother)
- Irmã (sister)
- Bebê (baby)
Portuguese Spelling Rules for Accents
Stress patterns
Portuguese follows predictable stress rules:
Words ending in a, e, o, em, ens:
- Stress falls on second-to-last syllable
- Add accent if stress is elsewhere
- Example: casa (house) – no accent, sofá (sofa) – accent on last syllable
Words ending in other consonants:
- Stress falls on last syllable
- Add accent if stress is elsewhere
Nasal vowels with tilde
The tilde (~) always creates a nasal sound:
- Before m or n, vowels are often nasal without needing a tilde
- The tilde explicitly marks nasal pronunciation
Distinguishing homographs
Accents distinguish words that would otherwise be identical:
- para (for) vs. pára (stops) – note: spelling reform has changed some of these
- pelo (by the) vs. pêlo (hair) – also affected by spelling reform
Portuguese Spelling Reform (Acordo Ortográfico)
In 2009, Portuguese-speaking countries implemented a spelling reform that changed some accent usage:
Changes:
- Removed some acute accents from diphthongs
- Eliminated some circumflexes
- Standardized spelling across countries
Still in effect:
- All other accent marks remain
- Tilde usage unchanged
- Cedilla usage unchanged
Result: Most accents you learn are still correct, but some older texts may show accents that are no longer used.
Common Portuguese Accent Mistakes
Don’t confuse avô and avó:
- avô = grandfather (circumflex)
- avó = grandmother (acute)
Remember the tilde for “não”:
Wrong: nao
Right: não
Don’t skip accents on “está”:
Wrong: esta (means “this”)
Right: está (means “is/are”)
Cedilla before a, o, u only:
Wrong: ceça
Right: cabeça
Use à for “to the” (feminine):
Vou à praia (going to the beach)
Not: Vou a praia
Typing Portuguese Faster
Enable Portuguese autocorrect:
Add the Portuguese keyboard to your device. Autocorrect will add many accents automatically.
Learn nasal patterns:
Words with nasal sounds often use tildes. Listen for the nasal pronunciation.
Practice common words:
Focus on não, mão, coração, avô, avó, está, and other frequently used words.
Use Portuguese spell check:
Most applications can check Portuguese spelling and flag missing accents.
Remember the cedilla pattern:
ç only before a, o, u (never before e or i).
Portuguese Accents in Different Applications
Microsoft Word
- Set language to Portuguese: Review → Language → Portuguese
- Choose Brazilian or European Portuguese
- Enable Portuguese autocorrect
Google Docs
- File → Language → Portuguese
- Tools → Preferences for substitutions
- Install Portuguese keyboard
Social Media and Email
- Use your device’s Portuguese keyboard
- All platforms support Portuguese accents
- Accents count normally in character limits
Regional Portuguese
Brazilian Portuguese
The most widely spoken variety (200+ million speakers):
- Same accent marks and rules
- Some vocabulary differences
- Pronunciation differs but spelling identical
European Portuguese
Spoken in Portugal and parts of Africa:
- Identical accent system
- Some unique vocabulary
- Different pronunciation, same written form
African Portuguese
Spoken in Angola, Mozambique, and other countries:
- Uses same accent marks
- Some regional vocabulary
- Same spelling conventions
Learning Resources
Practice accent recognition:
- Read Portuguese news websites
- Watch Portuguese videos with subtitles
- Notice accent patterns in text
Type Portuguese regularly:
- Write simple sentences daily
- Practice common phrases
- Use language learning apps
Verify spelling:
- Use online Portuguese dictionaries
- Check accent placement
- Enable spell check
Conclusion
Portuguese accents are essential for proper spelling and pronunciation. With practice, typing á, à, â, ã, é, ê, í, ó, ô, õ, ú, and ç becomes automatic on any device.
Key takeaways:
- Portuguese uses five accent types plus cedilla
- The tilde creates distinctive nasal sounds
- Accents distinguish word meanings
- Every device offers easy typing methods
- Both Brazilian and European Portuguese use identical accents
Whether you’re learning Portuguese, working with Portuguese speakers, or traveling to Portuguese-speaking countries, mastering these accents ensures clear, accurate communication. Boa sorte! (Good luck!)