voz rouca
1. A voice that is hoarse, raspy, or harsh in quality, often caused by illness, strain, or smoking
After shouting at the concert, she had a rough voice the next morning.
Depois de gritar no concerto, ela tinha uma voz rouca na manhã seguinte.
2. A voice that sounds coarse or gravelly in tone
The old man spoke with a rough voice that commanded respect.
O homem idoso falava com uma voz rouca que exigia respeito.
3. A voice lacking smoothness or refinement in sound quality
His rough voice made it clear he had been sick for days.
Sua voz rouca deixou claro que ele estava doente há dias.
In both Brazilian and American contexts, a rough voice is often associated with illness (especially colds or flu), excessive talking, smoking, or emotional distress. In Brazil, it's commonly referenced in music contexts when describing blues or samba singers who intentionally cultivate a gravelly vocal quality. In professional settings, having a rough voice might be seen as a sign of poor health and might affect someone's ability to perform public-speaking duties.
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