
Although they are most famous for their cities, both Portugal and Brazil have some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. If you like traveling beyond the city and exploring a country by walking, trekking, biking, or simply driving through the country, you’ll probably find it helpful to know some Portuguese words for geography. As always, the best way to learn this, and to generally build up your Portuguese vocabulary, is to learn with a tutor. Our tutors are waiting to hear from you!
In this post, we’ll look at 40 Portuguese words that will help you explore the countryside.
Geography
Geografia
Land
Terra, terreno
Landscape
Paisagem
Countryside
Campo, interior
Hill
Colina, morro
Hillside
Encosta
View
Vista
Valley
Vale
Canyon
Cânion
Cliff
Penhasco [BR/EU], falésia [EU]
Coast
Costa
Desert
Deserto
Forest
Floresta
Wood
Bosque
Glacier
Geleira [BR], glaciar [EU]
Gorge
Desfiladeiro, garganta
Island
Ilha
Lake
Lago
Marsh
Pântano, brejo, sapal [EU]
Mountain
Montanha
Summit
Cume
Ridge
Cume
Note: Both “summit” and “ridge” translate as cume, so you have to pay attention to the context to know which is being described.
Field
Campo
Ocean
Oceano
Sea
Mar
Path
Caminho
Plain
Planície
Peninsula
Península
River
Rio
Stream
Riacho
Shore
Costa, costeira [EU]
Reservoir
Reservatório
Wetland
Pântano, mangue [BR]
Volcano
Vulcão
Waterfall
Cachoeira, cascata
Beach
Praia
Bush
Arbusto
Hedge
Sebe
Earth
Terra
Soil
Solo
Taking the Next Step
This vocabulary is useful, but to use the Portuguese words in this post you’ll need to learn how to put them into sentences and use them in conversations. Our tutors will coach you, at a level tailored to your individual ability, until you achieve fluency. Book your first lesson now!