bê-á-bá
Portuguese, noun/ˌbeˌaˈba/
bê-á-bá is spelled B-Ê-Á-B-Á (5 letters). Bê-á-bá is a Portuguese masculine noun meaning “ABCs (the first steps to learning to read)” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The Portuguese Wiktionary (Wikcionário) defines it as “cartilha de apreender a ler”.
What does bê-á-bá mean in English?
noun
- 1
masculineABCs (the first steps to learning to read)
- 2
masculinean exercise in spelling
- 3
masculinea book or table containing exercises in spelling
- 4
masculinethe basics, the fundamentals (the first essential concepts and abilities of an activity)
Source: English Wiktionary, Portuguese section, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0).
How Portuguese dictionaries define it
noun: 1. cartilha de apreender a ler 2. primeiras noções de uma ciência ou arte
The definition in the Portuguese Wiktionary (Wikcionário), in Portuguese.
Source: Portuguese Wiktionary (Wikcionário), dump of September 1, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org.
Forms of bê-á-bá
- bê-á-bás plural
- beabá alternative
- bê-a-bá alternative misspelling
- bê-à-bá alternative misspelling
Source: English Wiktionary and Portuguese Wiktionary (Wikcionário) (dumps of September 2, 2026 and September 1, 2026).
How do you pronounce bê-á-bá?
- Brazil /ˌbeˌaˈba/
- Portugal /ˌbeˌaˈba/
- Portugal [ˌbeˌaˈβa]
Sources: English Wiktionary, Portuguese Wiktionary (Wikcionário) (dumps of September 2, 2026 and September 1, 2026); recordings from Wikimedia Commons.