Acento vs. Assento: Accent or Seat — Practice
A guided practice lesson with English explanations, Brazilian Portuguese examples, and answers you can check. Read the examples, recall the meaning, then say a version of your own.
Use acento for marks and pronunciation
Acento refers to a written accent mark or to a way of pronouncing a language associated with a region or speaker. In a spelling lesson, acento agudo and acento circunflexo name written marks; sotaque is also a common word for a regional accent in everyday Brazilian Portuguese.
The c spelling connects with the word accented. If the topic is pronunciation or a mark over a letter, use acento.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| A palavra avó tem acento agudo. | The word avó has an acute accent. |
| Ela fala português com um sotaque mineiro. | She speaks Portuguese with a Minas Gerais accent. |
| Qual é a sílaba tônica desta palavra? | Which syllable is stressed in this word? |
Use assento for a seat
Assento with double s means a seat or place to sit. It can also refer to a record or entry in a register, but the everyday meaning is a chair, seat, or bus/airplane place. The related verb sentar helps signal the topic.
Look at the sentence: if someone needs to sit or is choosing a place, write assento. If the sentence is about pronunciation or spelling, write acento.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Este assento está reservado. | This seat is reserved. |
| O assento do ônibus é confortável. | The bus seat is comfortable. |
| Pode escolher um assento perto da janela. | You can choose a seat near the window. |
Remember: Acento concerns pronunciation or accent marks; assento is a seat or, in formal contexts, a record.
Check your understanding
Choose the English meaning of each Portuguese example. Answer before looking back at the tables. These questions check the written examples in this guide; they are not a listening or proficiency test.
Recall the Portuguese, then say it
Read the English prompt and say a Portuguese version before opening the answer. The answer shows the example from the lesson; other natural translations may also work. Compare the meaning and the situation rather than counting a different word as automatically wrong.
The word avó has an acute accent.
Show a Portuguese answer
A palavra avó tem acento agudo.
She speaks Portuguese with a Minas Gerais accent.
Show a Portuguese answer
Ela fala português com um sotaque mineiro.
Which syllable is stressed in this word?
Show a Portuguese answer
Qual é a sílaba tônica desta palavra?
This seat is reserved.
Show a Portuguese answer
Este assento está reservado.
The bus seat is comfortable.
Show a Portuguese answer
O assento do ônibus é confortável.
You can choose a seat near the window.
Show a Portuguese answer
Pode escolher um assento perto da janela.
Make the phrase useful to you
Choose one example you could actually use. Say it once from memory, then change one detail that fits your life, such as the person, place, time, or object. Check whether your change also needs a different verb form, article, or adjective ending. If it does, compare it with the pattern in the explanation.
Acento concerns pronunciation or accent marks; assento is a seat or, in formal contexts, a record.
Return to two prompts tomorrow without opening the answers first. If a phrase still feels difficult, shorten it to a useful chunk and build the complete sentence again.
Sources and your next lesson
This I Speak Portuguese practice guide builds on our Acento vs. Assento: Accent or Seat? lesson on Real Life Portuguese, with written recall tasks and additional speaking practice. The explanations and examples are teaching material; the practice questions are exercises, not a transcript of a recording.
To add Brazilian audio to your routine, choose a lesson in the Real Life Portuguese app. The app offers its own lessons and practice; this page does not imply that every example here has an app recording.
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