Ensolarado vs. soalheiro
When describing sunny weather or places, the choice between ensolarado and soalheiro largely depends on the region. While ensolarado is the universal standard understood and used in all Portuguese-speaking countries, soalheiro is a distinctively European Portuguese term that is rarely heard in Brazil.
Ensolarado
A2This is the most common adjective for sunny in Brazil and is also widely used in Portugal. It literally means bathed in sun or full of sunlight and can describe the weather, a specific day, or a room that gets good natural light.
O dia amanheceu ensolarado e perfeito para ir à praia.
(The day dawned sunny and perfect for going to the beach.)
Eu prefiro alugar um apartamento que seja bem ensolarado.
(I prefer to rent an apartment that is very sunny.)
Depois da chuva, tivemos uma tarde ensolarada.
(After the rain, we had a sunny afternoon.)
As crianças brincavam no campo ensolarado.
(The children were playing in the sunny field.)
O Rio de Janeiro é conhecido pelo seu clima ensolarado.
(Rio de Janeiro is known for its sunny climate.)
Soalheiro
B2Used primarily in Portugal, this word describes a place or time that is exposed to the sun, often implying a pleasant, warm, and sun-drenched quality. In Brazil, this word is considered literary, old-fashioned, or simply obscure.
Vamos sentar na esplanada porque está um dia bastante soalheiro.
(Let's sit on the terrace because it is quite a sunny day.)
Esta região do Alentejo é muito soalheira no verão.
(This region of Alentejo is very sun-drenched in the summer.)
Gosto de ler livros numa tarde soalheira de outono.
(I like reading books on a sunny autumn afternoon.)
A casa fica numa encosta soalheira virada para o sul.
(The house is located on a sunny slope facing south.)
Aproveitámos o domingo soalheiro para passear em Lisboa.
(We enjoyed the sunny Sunday to stroll around Lisbon.)
Summary
To sound natural in Brazil, always use ensolarado. In Portugal, you can use ensolarado generally, but using soalheiro adds a nice local touch when describing a pleasant, sun-drenched atmosphere or location.