Many of the stories in this web site are from Brazil, where people speak Portuguese. The names of some people and places may seem a little strange to the American ear, and many of them are not pronounced the way you might think. Just in case, this is how you say some of these names.

Please note that pronunciations can differ from one part of the country to another, with for instance "di" being pronounced "dee" by some and "gee" by others. The pronunciations below are generally based on the way I have heard these names.

Also note that parts of some words are nasalized, such as "ão" in Maranhão and "ém" in Belém, and the pronunciations below are only approximations.

Adelaide – Ah-duh-LIE-gee

Alcântara – Ahl-CON-tuh-ruh

Álvaro – AHL-vuh-row

Amapá – Ah-mah-PA

Ana Célia – AH-nuh SAY-lee-uh

Apolinário – Ah-poe-lee-NAR-ee-oh

Athayde – Uh-TIE-gee

Auleriano – Oh-lair-ee-AH-no

Babaçu – Bah-bah-SOO

Baía do Sol – Bah-EE-uh do Sol

Barroso – Bah-HOE-so

Belém – Buh-LAYN

Belo Horizonte – BAY-low OR-eh-zonch, or OR-eh-zont-ay

Bogea – Bo-ZJAY-uh

Bandeirante – Bon-dair-RONCH

Bragança – Bra-GAN-suh

Brasília – Bra-ZEEL-ee-yuh

Campo Redondo – COMP-owe Hay-DON-doh

Ceará – Say-uh-RAH

Cecílio – Say-SEEL-ee-oh

Chupa-chupa – SHOO-puh SHOO-puh

Claudomira Paixão – Clow-doh-MEE-ruh Pie-SHAOW

Clésio – CLAY-zee-oh

Colares – Co-LAR-ace

Costa – COAST-uh

Curitiba – Coo-reh-CHEE-buh

Curuai – Koo-roo-EYE

Farinha – Far-REEN-ya

Fernão Dias – Fer-NAOW GEE-us

Flávio – FLA-vee-oh

Fortaleza – For-tuh-LAY-za

Gevaerd – ZJEH-vah-AIRD

Hermelindo – Air-muh-LEEN-do

Húlvio Aleixo – OOL-vee-oh Uh-LAY-show

Itaqui – Ee-tah-KEE

Itaúna – It-ah-OON-uh

Ivaldo – Ee-VOL-doe

Jabarú – Jah-buh-ROO

Jaboticatubas – Jah-boo-chee-kah-TOO-bus

Janúncio – Jah-NOON-see-owe

Jean – Zjay-AWN

João – Zjuh-WAOW

José – Joe-ZAY

Kátia Xavier – KOT-chee-uh Sha-vee-AIR

Kécia – KAY-see-uh

Liliane – Lil-ee-ON-ee

Luís – Loo-EECE

Marajó – Mar-uh-ZJOE

Maranhão – Mar-un-YAOW.

Maria Rosa – Muh-REE-uh HOE-zah

Maringá – Mar-een-GAH

Minas Gerais – MEE-nus Jer-RICE

Moacyr Uchoa – Moe-ah-SEER Oo-SHOW-uh

Moisés – Moy-ZACE

Oliveira – Oh-lee-VAY-ruh

Niteroi – NEAT-er-roy

Paiva – PIE-vuh

Pantoja – Pan-TOE-zjuh

Pará – Puh-RAH

Paraipaba – Par-eye-PA-bah

Paraíba – Par-uh-EE-buh

Paraná – Par-uh-NAH

Pedrinho – Peh-DREEN-yo

Pelotas – Pay-LOW-tahs

Pereira – Puh-RAY-rah

Perreira – Puh-HAY-rah

Piaui – Pee-OW-ee

Pinheiro – Peen-YAIR-oh

Pocinho – Po-SEEN-yo

Ponta Negra – Pown-TAH Nay-gruh

Protázio – Pro-TAZ-zee-oh

Quixadá – Kee-sha-DAH

Raimunda – Hy-MOON-dah

Raimundo – Hy-MOON-doe

Reginaldo – Hay-zjee-NAL-do

Reinaldo – Hay-NOL-do

Rodrigues – Hoe-DREE-gus

Rósio – HOE-zee-owe

Santarém – San-tuh-RAYN

Saquarema – Sock-ruh-RAY-muh

Serra – SAY-ha

Siqueira – See-KAY-ruh

Soeiro – So-AYR-owe

Suécia – Sue-AY-see-uh

Três Corações – TRACE Core-uh-SOY-shhh

Ubirajara – Oo-bee-ruh-JAR-uh

Uyrange Hollanda – Wee-RAHN-gee Oh-LON-duh

Valquíria – Vol-KEE-ree-uh

Varginha – Var-ZJEEN-yuh

Vigia – Vih-ZJEE-uh

Vitório Pacaccini – Vee-TORE-ee-oh Pahk-uh-CHEEN-ee

Wellaide – Vuh-LIE-gee

Wladimir – VLA-gee-meer