sério

Sério is a Portuguese adjective meaning serious or grave, used to describe people, situations, or tones that require gravity or sincerity. It can also function as an intensifier in colloquial speech to signal that something is genuine or important, as in expressions like um assunto sério or ele é sério sobre o trabalho. In addition, sério can appear as an interjection in questions to express surprise or doubt: Sério? meaning “Really?”

Etymology and related forms: The term derives from Latin serius (serious) and arrived in Portuguese through historical development; it is cognate with Spanish serio and Italian serio. The accent on the i marks the stressed syllable in standard Portuguese. The masculine form is sério, and the feminine form is séria, reflecting gender agreement with the noun.

Usage and grammar: As a descriptive adjective, sério agrees with gender and number (masculine: sério; feminine: séria) and with the noun it modifies (É um assunto sério; Ela é uma pessoa séria). The noun form seriedade denotes the quality or state of being serious. The superlative seríssimo expresses extreme seriousness.

Regional notes: Brazilian and European Portuguese share the core meaning, though pronunciation and common phrases may vary slightly across dialects. In speech, a serious tone can range from formal to solemn, depending on context.

See also: seriousness, seriedade, seriedade como qualidade, seriedade no discurso.