How to pronounce "saudade" in English
saʊˈdɑːdə
sow·DAH·də
Primary stress: DAH
Hear native speakers say saudade in context across real video clips
saudade. I am still learning the depth of the meaning of this untranslatable word, but my understanding is that saudade meaning of this untranslatable word,
Linguistic Pronunciation Masterclass: “saudade”
Phonetic mechanics, syllable architecture, and conversational cadence
Syllable Architecture & Stress Distribution
sow
Neutral schwa (⁄ə⁄): relaxed jaw, brief unstressed breath.
DAH
Gliding diphthong with sustained vocal resonance.
də
Neutral schwa (⁄ə⁄): relaxed jaw, brief unstressed breath.
Primary emphasis falls on the second syllable ("DAH"). Raise your pitch and sustain the vowel length on this syllable while relaxing the surrounding syllables.
Common Pronunciation Traps & Learner Mistakes
The Trap: Avoid pronouncing every vowel with full acoustic weight. Non-native speakers often over-enunciate unstressed vowels.
How Native Speakers Say It: Only give full vowel clarity to the primary stressed syllable. Relax all unstressed vowels into a neutral, low-energy schwa (⁄ə⁄).
Connected Speech & Natural Conversational Flow
When followed by a vowel, insert a subtle glide (/w/ or /j/) to connect into the subsequent word without an abrupt glottal stop.
Maintain the stress-timed rhythm of English: compress unstressed syllables rapidly so the beat of "saudade" aligns naturally with adjacent words.
Authentic Spoken Quotes from Native Video Context
“I am still learning the depth of the meaning of this untranslatable word, but my understanding is that saudade”— TEDx TalksWatch clip
“it's etwas so it's a bit reassuring that we've decided on the figure of a hundred eighty thousand to 185 thousand troops thousand saudade enzo garden hunger”— Native SpeakerWatch clip
“In Portuguese, we have this beautiful word, saudade.”— TEDx TalksWatch clip
“and the sweet. Maybe saudade,”— TEDx TalksWatch clip
“However, the moment you learn a word like saudade, you suddenly recognize that”— TEDx TalksWatch clip
“In Portuguese, saudade. Missing someone or something but”— TEDx TalksWatch clip
Practice Speaking “saudade”
Listen to native pronunciation, record yourself repeating the sentence into your microphone, and receive real-time word-by-word accuracy scoring.
I am still learning the depth of the meaning of this untranslatable word, but my understanding is that saudade
Hear it in context: “saudade”
7 clipsThe English word “saudade” is transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as saʊˈdɑːdə (phonetic respelling: sow-DAH-də). Phonologically, it consists of 3 syllables (sow · DAH · də), with primary lexical stress placed on the 2nd syllable (DAH). Grammatically, “saudade” functions as a noun. SayItVid indexes 7 authentic English video clips demonstrating how native speakers articulate “saudade” in natural connected speech across American (US: 7 sampled), British (UK), and Australian (AUS) accents, including verified broadcasts from TEDx Talks.
Spoken Video Transcripts & Contextual Quotes (5 Verified Clips)
- 🇺🇸 USTEDx TalksClip #1 · @2:47
“saudade. I am still learning the depth of the meaning of this untranslatable word, but my understanding is that saudade meaning of this untranslatable word,”
- 🇺🇸 USClip #2 · @1:06
“a great concern to our men and women in uniform right now when enzo fan is a CI it's etwas so it's a bit reassuring that we've decided on the figure of a hundred eighty thousand to 185 thousand troops thousand saudade enzo garden hunger eighty thousand to 185 thousand troops thousand saudade enzo garden hunger”
- 🇺🇸 USTEDx TalksClip #3 · @2:39
“your life. In Portuguese, we have this beautiful word, saudade. we have this beautiful word,”
- 🇺🇸 USTEDx TalksClip #4 · @9:10
“tasting the bitter and the sweet. Maybe saudade, Maybe saudade,”
- 🇺🇸 USTEDx TalksClip #5 · @11:55
“Maybe you just feel that it is unnamed. However, the moment you learn a word like saudade, you suddenly recognize that the moment you learn a word like”
Definition & Meaning: “saudade”
- A feeling of melancholy and wistful yearning for something that is absent, impossible or lost.
Example Sentences (3)
- “I have the feeling, from using the word as a first language speaker, that saudade conveys a bit more feeling, a bit more sorrow, a bit more longing than “I miss you”.”
- “I am still learning the depth of the meaning of this untranslatable word, but my understanding is that saudade”
- “it's etwas so it's a bit reassuring that we've decided on the figure of a hundred eighty thousand to 185 thousand troops thousand saudade enzo garden hunger”
Common Phrases & Collocations
Pronounce: “saudade”
- Pronunciation:
- sow-DAH-də
- Syllables:
- sow · DAH · də
- Written Hyphenation:
- sau · dade
- Primary stress:
- DAH
- IPA:
- saʊˈdɑːdə
- Hear it in context
- saudade
Words that Rhyme with “saudade”
-ɑdəWords that Sound Identical (Homophones)
Unique Sound"saudade" (⁄saʊˈdɑːdə⁄) has no true homophones in standard English — there are no other words with identical pronunciation. Unlike sound-alike pairs like there / their or peace / piece, "saudade" has a completely distinct phonetic identity.
Frequently asked questions about saudade
How do you pronounce “saudade”?
“saudade” is pronounced ⁄saʊˈdɑːdə⁄ (sow-DAH-də). Listen to the native-speaker clips above to hear it in real conversation.
How many syllables are in “saudade”?
“saudade” has 3 syllables: sow · DAH · də.
Where is the stress in “saudade”?
The primary stress in “saudade” is on “DAH”. Listen for that stressed syllable in the clips above.
What does “saudade” mean?
A feeling of melancholy and wistful yearning for something that is absent, impossible or lost.
How can I hear “saudade” used in real sentences?
This page has 7 real-world video examples of “saudade” with synchronized subtitles. Use Previous / Next (or ← / → keys) to hear each one at the exact moment it is spoken.
What is the most common pronunciation mistake when saying “saudade”?
Avoid pronouncing every vowel with full acoustic weight. Non-native speakers often over-enunciate unstressed vowels. Only give full vowel clarity to the primary stressed syllable. Relax all unstressed vowels into a neutral, low-energy schwa (⁄ə⁄).