4 syllables: Ca, po, ei, ra. Stress on ei.
ka-poh-E-yuh
/ka.poˈejɐ/
Capoeira is pronounced ka-poh-E-yuh (/ka.poˈejɐ/). It has four syllables (Ca-po-ei-ra), with the stress on "ei". Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art that blends dance, acrobatics, and music, historically developed by African slaves in Brazil. It emphasizes fluid, rhythmic movement, deception, and strategic feints, often performed to traditional songs and berimbau rhythms. The term also denotes the performance style and the cultural practice surrounding the art.
nounCapoeira is a Brazilian martial art that blends dance, acrobatics, and music, historically developed by African slaves in Brazil. It emphasizes fluid, rhythmic movement, deception, and strategic feints, often performed to traditional songs and berimbau rhythms. The term also denotes the performance style and the cultural practice surrounding the art.
How to Pronounce Capoeira
"Capoeira classes fuse cardio conditioning with graceful, dance-like sequences."
"During the seminar, he demonstrated a capoeira move and the accompanying chant."
"Her capoeira routine impressed the judges with its blend of power and grace."
Capoeira is pronounced kah-poh-AY-rah, with the main stress on the third syllable (ei). IPA: /ˌkæpoʊˈeɪrə/ (US), /ˌkæpɔɪˈeɹə/ (UK), /ˌkæpoʊˈeɹə/ (AU). Start with a soft ‘ka’ (like ‘cat’), move to a rounded ‘po’ without overemphasizing, then glide into the diphthong ‘ei’ as in ‘say’, and finish with a light ‘rah’. Picture your mouth shaping a small smile for the final ‘ra’.
Common errors: (1) stressing the wrong syllable—people often stress the ‘po’ or ‘ei’ unintentionally; (2) mispronouncing the diphthong in ‘ei’ as a pure vowel like ‘eh’ instead of a clear ‘ay’ sound. Correction: place primary stress on the third syllable, and say /ˈeɪ/ in that position, ending with a light ‘ra’. Practice with a slow tempo, then increase speed while keeping the diphthong intact.
Across accents, US tends to use /ˌkæpoʊˈeɪrə/ with /ɔɪ/ in some variants; UK often uses /ˌkæpɔɪˈeɹə/ with a rhotic-less final ‘er’ in non-rhotic speech; AU mirrors US but may soften the final vowel to /ə/ and reduce r-fulness in some contexts. All share the stressed third syllable; the key variation is the vowel quality in the middle syllables and the rhotic voice quality.
Two main challenges: (1) the diphthong in ‘ei’ demands a precise /eɪ/ glide rather than a simple vowel; (2) the final ‘ra’ is a light, unstressed syllable in many Brazilian pronunciations, which English speakers may overemphasize. Focus on a crisp /eɪ/ in the stressed syllable and a quick, relaxed ending /rə/ or /rə/ depending on accent.
The Portuguese loanwords and cadence influence: capoeira’s pronunciation preserves Brazilian Portuguese vowel qualities in the second half of the word. The stress pattern (tertiary stress) and the rolling or non-rolling r depending on dialect affect how you pronounce the ending. The word’s rhythm mirrors the art’s movement, so keeping the syllables smooth and flowing matters more than hitting a hard stop.
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Capoeira originates from Brazil and is rooted in Afro-Brazilian culture. The word’s etymology is debated, with two prevailing theories. One links capoeira to the Tupi-Guarani term for “ragged clothing”/“downward movement,” referencing the practitioners’ disguising moves. Another theory ties it to the Portuguese phrase “capoeirista” (a practitioner) from capoeira, a verb for fighting with a stick, highlighting the martial lineage. The earliest uses appear in Brazilian records of the 18th century as a form of street fighting practiced by enslaved Africans, evolving into a cultural performance by the 19th century, and finally gaining international visibility in the 20th century through formal academies and festivals. The term also reflects the art’s performative, circular, and improvisational nature, often linked to the music and ritual of berimbau, atabaque, and pandeiro. Over time, capoeira has been codified into distinct styles, notably Capoeira Angola and Capoeira Regional, each emphasizing different movement aesthetics and musical cues while preserving the core ethos of resilience, community, and creative disguise of martial intent.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Capoeira" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Capoeira"
-boa sounds
-ria sounds
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