Pronunciation in Portuguese can be tricky, and there are several areas in which language learners are frequently confused. One such area in Portuguese is the letter X. This one letter has four different sounds!

In the word Xangô, the ‘x’ is pronounced like the ‘sh’ in shampoo.
In proximidade, it sounds like the ‘s’ in serious.
In táxi, it sounds like the common ‘x’ sounds in English, like in fax.
In exílio, the ‘x’ sounds like the ‘z’ in <strongzero.

To further confuse issues, there seems to be little rhyme or reason governing the sounds of X. A case in point is fixo (fixed), pronounced fee-ksoo versus lixo (trash), pronouced lee-shoo. Exactly the same sounds on either side of the X, and yet totally different sounds!