Portuguese Year 2: From sound to letter and from letter to sound
Portuguese, Year 2 (Portugal): Two letters can make one sound, a sound can be written in several ways, and a letter can sound different depending on where it is.
Sounds and letters
A word is made of sounds (phonemes) and written with letters (graphemes). Two letters can make one single sound: these are digraphs, like ch, lh, nh, rr, ss, qu and gu. And the sound of a letter depends on where it is: the «c» of «casa» (house) sounds /k/ (before a, o, u), the «c» of «cebola» (onion) sounds /s/ (before e, i), and the «s» of «casa», between vowels, sounds /z/.
The same sound, several spellings
We hear sounds but we write letters, and the same sound can be written in several ways: the /s/ is written differently in «sapo» (toad) and in «maçã» (apple). Knowing the rules helps you choose the right letter.
Four ways to write /s/
Four words with the sound /s/. Step 1: «sapo» (toad): at the start, /s/ is written «s». Step 2: «cebola» (onion): before «e», it is written «c». Step 3: «maçã» (apple): before «a», it is written «ç» (a plain «c» would sound /k/). Step 4: «passo» (step): between vowels, it is written «ss» (a single «s» would sound /z/: «paso» would be read «pazo»).
One sound is not always one letter
The mistake is thinking every sound always has the same letter, and every letter the same sound. The «c» sounds /k/ in «casa» and /s/ in «cebola». The «g» sounds /g/ in «gato» (cat) and different in «gelado» (ice cream). When in doubt, say the word slowly and look at the letter that comes next.
When you write and read new words
You use this in a dictation, when you write a message to a friend or when you read a word you do not know. When in doubt, say the word slowly, listen to the sound, look at the letters around it and remember a similar word that you already know how to write.
Test what you learned
In which word do two letters make one single sound?
- a) «casa» (house)
- b) «ninho» (nest)
- c) «bola» (ball)
Correct answer: b) «ninho» (nest) — Yes: «nh» is a digraph, two letters for one sound.
You want to write the Portuguese word for “cheese”. It starts with the sound /k/, and the next letter is «e». Which spelling is right?
- a) ceijo
- b) keijo
- c) queijo
Correct answer: c) queijo — Yes: /k/ before «e» or «i» is written «qu» (the «u» is not pronounced in this word).
Which pair shows that the same letter can make different sounds?
- a) «casa – cebola» (house – onion)
- b) «bola – bota» (ball – boot)
- c) «lua – rua» (moon – street)
Correct answer: a) «casa – cebola» (house – onion) — Yes: the «c» of «casa» sounds /k/ and the «c» of «cebola» sounds /s/. Same letter, two sounds.
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