You use your cotovelo (elbow) all the time! It's the bendy part in the middle of your arm. When you lift something or point, your cotovelo helps you move. Think about how you wave goodbye – your cotovelo bends. It's a very important joint for everyday actions.
When learning Portuguese, knowing common body parts like cotovelo (elbow) is really useful. At the A2 level, you're building on basic vocabulary and starting to describe things in more detail.
Understanding words like this helps you talk about health, give directions, or describe people. You'll often find these words in simple sentences and everyday conversations.
Practicing these concrete nouns helps solidify your foundational vocabulary.
When we talk about the human body, 'cotovelo' is a fundamental word to know. It refers to the elbow, the joint that allows you to bend and extend your arm. You might hear it in everyday situations, like someone saying they bumped their 'cotovelo'. It's also used in expressions, though less literally, to describe tight spaces or sharp turns, similar to how 'elbow room' is used in English. Understanding this term is crucial for discussing physical actions, describing injuries, or even navigating directions in Portuguese.
How Formal Is It?
"O médico examinou o cúbito do paciente para avaliar a extensão da lesão. (The doctor examined the patient's ulna to assess the extent of the injury.)"
"Bati com o cotovelo na porta sem querer. (I accidentally hit my elbow on the door.)"
"Cuidado pra não ralar o covelo no chão. (Be careful not to scrape your elbow on the ground.)"
"Faz cócegas no meu cotovelinho! (Tickle my little elbow!)"
"Levei um bito na briga. (I got an elbow in the fight.)"
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
Bati o cotovelo na mesa.
I hit my elbow on the table.
Ele apoiou o cotovelo no balcão.
He leaned his elbow on the counter.
Sinto uma dor no cotovelo esquerdo.
I feel pain in my left elbow.
Ela dobrou o cotovelo para alcançar.
She bent her elbow to reach.
O médico examinou meu cotovelo.
The doctor examined my elbow.
Não encoste o cotovelo sujo na parede.
Don't touch the dirty elbow on the wall.
Ele levou uma cotovelada sem querer.
He accidentally got an elbow hit.
Minha filha está com o cotovelo machucado.
My daughter has a hurt elbow.
Para de colocar o cotovelo na comida!
Stop putting your elbow in the food!
Ele usava protetores nos cotovelos.
He wore elbow pads.
Often Confused With
This is a type of bird (lark), completely unrelated to 'cotovelo' in meaning, but the similar beginning sound can be confusing.
This means 'rib'. While both are body parts, the similarity in sound ('co-') can sometimes lead to momentary confusion.
This means 'easel' or 'trestle'. It has a similar 'cotov' sound pattern if pronounced quickly, which could be confusing for new learners.
Grammar Patterns
Easily Confused
'Coto' sounds similar to 'cotovelo' but refers to the stump of a limb or a small, cut-off piece of something.
While 'cotovelo' is a specific joint, 'coto' is a general term for a remaining part after something has been cut or broken off.
Ele perdeu o braço e agora tem um *coto*. (He lost his arm and now has a *stump*.)
Both 'cotovelo' and 'joelho' are joints, but they are in different parts of the body.
'Cotovelo' is the elbow, on the arm. 'Joelho' is the knee, on the leg.
Ele dobrou o *joelho* para se ajoelhar. (He bent his *knee* to kneel down.)
Both are joints in the arm, leading to potential confusion.
'Cotovelo' is the elbow, higher up the arm. 'Pulso' is the wrist, connecting the hand to the forearm.
Ela torceu o *pulso* ao cair. (She sprained her *wrist* when she fell.)
Both are body parts that can be used to describe actions (e.g., 'elbowing' or 'kicking with the heel'), but they are anatomically distinct.
'Cotovelo' is the elbow. 'Calcanhar' is the heel.
Ele sentiu dor no *calcanhar* depois de correr. (He felt pain in his *heel* after running.)
Both 'cotovelo' and 'ombro' are major joints in the upper body.
'Cotovelo' is the elbow. 'Ombro' is the shoulder, where the arm connects to the torso.
Ele colocou a mão no meu *ombro*. (He put his hand on my *shoulder*.)
Sentence Patterns
O [nome] tem um cotovelo.
O Pedro tem um cotovelo. (Pedro has an elbow.)
Eu toquei no meu cotovelo.
Eu toquei no meu cotovelo. (I touched my elbow.)
Dói o meu cotovelo.
Dói o meu cotovelo. (My elbow hurts.)
Ele bateu com o cotovelo na mesa.
Ele bateu com o cotovelo na mesa. (He hit his elbow on the table.)
Estou com uma dor no cotovelo esquerdo.
Estou com uma dor no cotovelo esquerdo. (I have a pain in my left elbow.)
Por favor, não apoie os cotovelos na mesa.
Por favor, não apoie os cotovelos na mesa. (Please, don't put your elbows on the table.)
Ele esbarrou no meu cotovelo ao passar.
Ele esbarrou no meu cotovelo ao passar. (He bumped my elbow when he passed.)
A enfermeira examinou o cotovelo lesionado do jogador.
A enfermeira examinou o cotovelo lesionado do jogador. (The nurse examined the player's injured elbow.)
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsThe word for 'elbow' in Portuguese is cotovelo.
Cotovelo is a masculine noun. You'd say 'o cotovelo' (the elbow).
Sure!
'Ele bateu o cotovelo na mesa.' (He hit his elbow on the table.)
One common phrase is 'dar uma cotovelada', which means 'to elbow someone' or 'to nudge with an elbow'. For example, 'Ele deu uma cotovelada no amigo para chamar a atenção.' (He elbowed his friend to get his attention.)
It's pronounced koh-toh-VEH-loh. The 'o' at the end is often a soft 'oo' sound in Brazilian Portuguese, almost like 'cotovelu'.
No, cotovelo pretty exclusively refers to the elbow joint. It doesn't have other common meanings like some English words do.
The plural of cotovelo is cotovelos. You just add an 's' at the end.
Not commonly. While you might use it in descriptive phrases, it's not a central word in many well-known Portuguese idioms like some other body parts.
It's a standalone word for the body part. It doesn't have a direct, obvious root connection to other common words in a way that would help memory, like 'braço' (arm) might. Just learn it as 'elbow'.
You would say:
'Meu cotovelo está doendo.' (My elbow is hurting.)
or
'Tenho dor no cotovelo.' (I have pain in my elbow.)
Test Yourself 60 questions
He rested his ___ on the table.
Bend your ___ to touch your shoulder.
My ___ hurts.
Read this aloud:
Aponta para o seu cotovelo.
Focus: co-to-ve-lo
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Onde está o seu cotovelo?
Focus: Onde está o seu co-to-ve-lo?
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Eu bati meu cotovelo.
Focus: Eu ba-ti meu co-to-ve-lo.
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Imagine you bumped your 'cotovelo' (elbow). Write a short sentence in Portuguese about what happened. (I bumped my elbow).
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Eu bati meu cotovelo.
You are pointing to your elbow. How would you say 'This is my elbow' in Portuguese?
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Este é meu cotovelo.
Your friend asks what 'cotovelo' means. Explain it simply in Portuguese. (It's a part of the arm).
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
É uma parte do braço.
O que a criança machucou?
Read this passage:
A criança caiu e machucou o cotovelo. Agora ela está chorando. O pai dela vai colocar gelo no cotovelo.
O que a criança machucou?
The passage says 'machucou o cotovelo' which means 'hurt the elbow'.
The passage says 'machucou o cotovelo' which means 'hurt the elbow'.
Para que usamos o cotovelo?
Read this passage:
Para dobrar o braço, usamos o cotovelo. É uma parte importante do corpo.
Para que usamos o cotovelo?
The passage states 'Para dobrar o braço, usamos o cotovelo' meaning 'To bend the arm, we use the elbow'.
The passage states 'Para dobrar o braço, usamos o cotovelo' meaning 'To bend the arm, we use the elbow'.
Qual parte do corpo de Maria dói?
Read this passage:
Maria tem uma dor no cotovelo esquerdo. Ela precisa de um médico.
Qual parte do corpo de Maria dói?
The passage clearly says 'dor no cotovelo esquerdo' which translates to 'pain in the left elbow'.
The passage clearly says 'dor no cotovelo esquerdo' which translates to 'pain in the left elbow'.
This means 'My elbow hurts.' In Portuguese, the possessive adjective (Meu) comes before the noun (cotovelo), and the verb (dói) follows.
This means 'She hurt her elbow.' 'Machucou' is the past tense of 'machucar' (to hurt).
This means 'He hit his elbow on the table.' 'Bateu' is the past tense of 'bater' (to hit).
The correct order is 'I hurt my elbow'. 'Eu' (I) is the subject, 'machuquei' (hurt) is the verb, 'o meu' (my) is the possessive article, and 'cotovelo' (elbow) is the direct object.
The correct order is 'Please, put your elbow on the table'. 'Por favor' (Please) is a polite request, 'coloque' (put) is the verb, 'o cotovelo' (the elbow) is the direct object, and 'na mesa' (on the table) is the prepositional phrase.
The correct order is 'His elbow hurt a lot'. 'O cotovelo dele' (his elbow) is the subject, 'doía' (hurt) is the verb, and 'muito' (a lot) is an adverb modifying the verb.
Choose the correct sentence: My elbow hurts after playing tennis.
The word 'cotovelo' is masculine singular, so 'Meu' and 'dói' are correct. 'Cotovela' is incorrect gender, 'Meus cotovelos' is plural, and 'doeu' is past tense.
Which of these objects might you rest your elbow on?
You would typically rest your elbow on a 'mesa' (table). 'Cama' is a bed, 'nuvem' is a cloud, and 'chapéu' is a hat.
What is the common action associated with hitting your 'cotovelo' on something?
'Bater' means to hit or strike, which is a common action when you accidentally hurt your elbow. 'Cantar' is to sing, 'dormir' is to sleep, and 'comer' is to eat.
You use your 'cotovelo' to kick a ball.
You use your 'pé' (foot) to kick a ball, not your 'cotovelo' (elbow).
If you lean on your 'cotovelo', you are likely resting your arm on a surface.
To lean on your 'cotovelo' implies supporting your arm, often on a surface like a table or chair arm.
A doctor might examine your 'cotovelo' if you have pain in your knee.
A doctor would examine your 'joelho' (knee) if you have knee pain, not your 'cotovelo' (elbow).
Focus on the sound of 'cotovelo' in the sentence. What was hurt?
Listen for 'cotovelos'. What action is being advised against?
Identify 'cotovelo' in the context of the painter. What happened to it?
Read this aloud:
Você consegue tocar o seu cotovelo esquerdo com a mão direita?
Focus: cotovelo
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Quando eu era criança, sempre tinha arranhões nos cotovelos por brincar muito.
Focus: cotovelos
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
A recomendação é dobrar o braço na altura do cotovelo para o alongamento.
Focus: cotovelo
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Após o acidente de carro, ela sentia uma dor aguda no seu ___, mal conseguindo dobrar o braço.
A frase descreve uma dor na articulação que permite dobrar o braço, o que corresponde ao cotovelo.
O jogador de basquete, ao cair, protegeu a cabeça com as mãos, mas acabou ferindo o ___ no impacto com o chão.
No contexto de uma queda, o cotovelo é uma articulação comum de ser ferida no impacto.
Para se apoiar na mesa e conseguir uma melhor visão do documento, ele descansou o ___ na superfície fria.
Descansar o cotovelo na mesa é uma posição comum para apoio ou para inclinar-se sobre algo.
O médico examinou o ___ da criança, que estava inchado e com um hematoma visível após a queda do baloiço.
Inchaço e hematoma após uma queda sugerem uma lesão na articulação do cotovelo.
A postura incorreta ao trabalhar no computador pode levar a dores crónicas no ___ e no ombro.
Dores no cotovelo, especialmente a 'cotovelo de tenista', são comuns com má postura no computador.
Durante a aula de anatomia, o professor apontou para o ___ no modelo esquelético, explicando sua função na flexão e extensão do braço.
A função de flexão e extensão do braço é característica da articulação do cotovelo.
Após o impacto, ele sentiu uma dor aguda no ______ e teve dificuldades para mover o braço.
A frase descreve uma dor na articulação entre o antebraço e o braço, o que corresponde ao cotovelo.
A fisioterapeuta recomendou exercícios específicos para fortalecer os músculos em volta do ______ e restaurar a mobilidade.
O contexto sugere uma articulação que precisa de fortalecimento para mobilidade, e 'cotovelo' se encaixa perfeitamente.
Ele apoiou o ______ na mesa, pensativo, enquanto ouvia as instruções cuidadosamente.
Apoiar o cotovelo na mesa é uma postura comum ao pensar ou ouvir atentamente.
Se alguém está com dor no cotovelo, geralmente se refere à região entre o ombro e o punho.
O cotovelo é a articulação que conecta a parte superior do braço ao antebraço, que está entre o ombro e o punho.
Um atleta de tênis pode desenvolver uma condição conhecida como 'cotovelo de tenista', que afeta o ombro.
O 'cotovelo de tenista' é uma inflamação dos tendões no cotovelo, e não afeta o ombro.
Em português, 'cotovelo' pode ser usado em expressões idiomáticas que significam pedir espaço ou afastar alguém.
Expressões como 'dar com o cotovelo' ou 'empurrar com o cotovelo' são usadas para indicar afastamento ou exclusão de alguém.
The architect presented an ambitious plan to revitalize the city's historic center, incorporating modern elements without distorting the original architecture.
The complexity of quantum theory challenges intuition, requiring abstract reasoning and a deep understanding of concepts not evident in our daily lives.
The investigation revealed an intricate web of corruption that spanned various levels of government, shocking public opinion and generating a clamor for reforms.
Read this aloud:
A resiliência da economia brasileira frente às crises globais tem sido notável, demonstrando a capacidade de adaptação do país a cenários adversos.
Focus: resiliência, notável, capacidade, adaptação, adversos
You said:
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Read this aloud:
O desenvolvimento sustentável é um imperativo para as futuras gerações, exigindo um equilíbrio delicado entre o progresso econômico e a preservação ambiental.
Focus: sustentável, imperativo, gerações, equilíbrio, preservação
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
A globalização intensificou a interconexão entre as culturas, promovendo tanto a diversidade quanto a homogeneização de certos aspectos sociais e econômicos.
Focus: globalização, intensificou, interconexão, promovendo, homogeneização
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
The tennis player felt a sharp pain in his elbow after the serve.
She rested her chin on her hand, her elbow resting on the oak table.
Avoid hyperextending your elbow when lifting weights to prevent injuries.
Read this aloud:
O fisioterapeuta recomendou exercícios para fortalecer os músculos em torno do cotovelo lesionado.
Focus: cotovelo
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Ao aprender a nadar, é crucial manter o cotovelo alto durante a braçada para uma técnica eficiente.
Focus: cotovelo, braçada
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
O pintor sujou o cotovelo de tinta sem perceber, absorvido pela tela.
Focus: cotovelo, sujou
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
/ 60 correct
Perfect score!
Example
Bati com o cotovelo na porta.
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Related Phrases
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abaixar
A2To move (something) to a lower position.
abdómen
B1The part of the body between the chest and the pelvis; belly.
abdômen
A2The part of the body containing the digestive organs; the belly.
abortar
A2To terminate a pregnancy.
abstinência
A2The fact or practice of restraining oneself from indulging in something.
abstinente
A2Refraining from an indulgence or pleasure.
acalmar-se
A2To become quiet and less agitated.
acamado
A2Bedridden; confined to bed by illness or infirmity.
acaso
A2By chance; perhaps.
acidentar
A2To have an accident; to experience an unfortunate incident.
