Parents vs. Parentes: A Portuguese False Friend
Parentes may look like parents, but it usually means relatives. Use pais when you mean your mother and father.
Real Life Portuguese · 4 min read · Updated October 14, 2026
The short answer
The English word parents translates to pais in Portuguese. The singular pai means father, and mãe means mother. Parentes is a broader word for relatives or family members; it does not usually mean only someone’s parents.
Use pais for your mother and father
The difference matters when you talk about family plans. If you say meus parentes, listeners may understand that you mean members of your extended family, such as aunts, uncles, or cousins.
Meus pais moram em outra cidade.
My parents live in another city.
Vou visitar meus parentes no domingo.
I’m going to visit my relatives on Sunday.
Meu pai e minha mãe chegam amanhã.
My father and mother arrive tomorrow.
Choose the family word that matches your meaning
When a conversation is specifically about parents, choose pais or name the person: minha mãe, meu pai, meus pais. Use parentes when the group includes relatives more generally. The article and adjective agree with the Portuguese noun: meus pais, meus parentes, minha mãe.
Meus parentes vêm de várias partes do Brasil.
My relatives come from different parts of Brazil.
Falei com meus pais por telefone.
I spoke with my parents on the phone.
Put it into practice
Translate parents as pais; reserve parentes for relatives more broadly. Learn the pair in a complete sentence to avoid translating the similar-looking English word directly.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “My relatives come from different parts of Brazil”?
Choose an answer to check yourself.
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