Pronouncing the “lh”

portuguese-lh-words

The LH in the middle of a word is one of the trickiest pronunciations. Really though, it's not that hard. You just need to remember to half-pronounce the 'L'. Not trabayartra - BA - lyar. Feel yourself saying the L but don't dwell on it. As soon as you feel the L, continue right into the rest. You can prounce the h almost like a Y.

Here are some common Portuguese words that contain “lh” together:

Velho ➜ VE-lyoo : Old
Filho ➜ FEE-lyoo : Son
Espelho ➜ es-PE-lyoo : Mirror
Olhar ➜ o-LYAR : To look
Orelha ➜ o-RE-lya : Ear
Molho ➜ MO-lyoo : Sauce
Aparelho ➜ a-pa-RE-lyoo : Device / Appliance
Detalhe ➜ de-TA-lyee : Detail
Folha ➜ FO-lya : Leaf / Sheet (of paper)
Barulho ➜ ba-RU-lyoo : Noise

The “lh” sound in Portuguese is similar to the “lli” in the English word “million”, but a bit softer and more palatalized. The tongue is placed close to the roof of the mouth, just behind the upper teeth, creating a smooth, flowing sound.

Here’s how to pronounce it:
1. Position your tongue – Place the middle of your tongue against the roof of your mouth, near the hard palate.
2. Airflow – Let the air pass over your tongue, producing a soft “ly” sound.

» From our online Portuguese course.