Vowel Correspondence Between Spanish and Portuguese

Spanish words with the front mid vowel often have the high front vowel in Portuguese. The high front vowel is common in unstressed syllables in most varieties of Brazilian Portuguese. Most Brazilians pronounce the word fome (hunger) with a word-final [i]. Here are ten words that illustrate the different vowels in Spanish and Portuguese:

ceremonia cerimônia (ceremony)

confesión confissão (confession)

creación criação (creation)

creatura criatura (creature)

edad idade (age)

femenino feminino (feminine)

juez juiz (judge)

lengua lingua (tongue)

procesión procissão (procession)

profesión profissão (profession)

Many Spanish words with an e are spelt with an i in Portuguese. The front mid vowel of Spanish is the original vowel which also appears in many English words such as ceremony, confession and profession. The Portuguese vowel was originally the mid front vowel of Spanish and became high front. This sound change is called vowel raising.