saibo

Portuguese

Etymology 1

From Latin sapio.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈsaj.bu/ [ˈsaɪ̯.bu]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈsaj.bu/ [ˈsaɪ̯.bu]
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈsaj.bo/ [ˈsaɪ̯.bo]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈsaj.bu/ [ˈsaj.βu]

• Hyphenation: sai‧bo

Noun

saibo m (plural saibos)

1. taste (especially unpleasant)

Etymology 2

An error in generalization of the irregular verb; saber + -o (suffix indicating the first-person singular present indicative of verbs).

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈsaj.bu/ [ˈsaɪ̯.bu]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈsaj.bu/ [ˈsaɪ̯.bu]
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈsaj.bo/ [ˈsaɪ̯.bo]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈsaj.bu/ [ˈsaj.βu]

• Hyphenation: sai‧bo

Verb

saibo

1. (nonstandard or humorous) first-person singular present indicative of saber

See also

• sabo

Usage notes

Typical of both non-native speakers and children who are native speakers, having given rise to the humorous phrase eu não saibo. The standard form is sei.

May also be used by fully fluent Portuguese speakers with the meaning "I taste" (intransitive sense). This usage is proscribed, thus making sei the correct form in this context as well.

Further reading

• “saibo”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2025
• “saibo”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2025