Portuguese words for kids · Colors
How to say “red” in Portuguese
Red is often the first color a toddler names: apples, fire engines, strawberries, stop signs. It's a bright, easy one to start with.
Red in Portuguese (Portugal)
vermelho
Sounds like ≈ ver-MAY-lyoo
Good to know: The lh sounds like the "lli" in million. Feminine: vermelha. You may also hear encarnado in Portugal, but vermelho is the everyday word.
Hear it in a song
Real lines from our Portuguese songs, with the English meaning shown in the app:
Qual é vermelho?
Which is red?
from Cores Por Todo o Lado (Colors Everywhere)
O que é vermelho?
What is red?
from Vermelho Como uma Maçã (Red Like an Apple)
Azul e vermelho!
Blue and red!
from O Arco-Íris (The Rainbow)
3 songs that teach it
“Red” is one of the key words in these songs. Every line is shown in Portuguese with its English meaning.
Cores Por Todo o Lado
Colors Everywhere · Colors · Premium
- vermelho · red
- azul · blue
- amarelo · yellow
- verde · green
Vermelho Como uma Maçã
Red Like an Apple · Colors · Premium
- vermelho · red
- maçã · apple
- como · like/as
- cor-de-rosa · pink
Oito Braços
The Octopus Song · At the Sea · Premium
- o polvo · octopus
- oito braços · eight arms
- cinco · five
- seis · six
Also sung in: O Arco-Íris, Uma Maçã Vermelha, As Flores, Vamos Festejar, Os Bichinhos, Os Meus Brinquedos, No Fundo do Mar, O Meu Primeiro Dia de Escola and 2 more.
Practice ideas for parents
- 1Go on a red hunt around the house and say vermelho each time you find something.
- 2At snack time, name everything red on the plate: tomatoes, strawberries, apple peel.
- 3Point to red cars on a drive and keep a running count in Portuguese.
Related Portuguese words
“Red” in other languages
Sing it in Portuguese, free
The first unit, 6 greeting songs with lyrics and English translation, is free forever. No card needed. Premium unlocks all 134 songs.
About the pronunciation: the “sounds like” spellings are rough English approximations for parents (capital letters show the stressed syllable). Portuguesehas sounds English doesn't, so treat them as a starting point and let the songs be the model. Songs are original and produced with AI music tools. Ideas for using Portuguese songs with your family.