PURPOSE: To translate and adapt the Early Listening Function (ELF) questionnaire into the Brazilian Portuguese language, and to evaluate the reliability of the test. METHODS: It was carried out the translation of the ELF questionnaire into Brazilian Portuguese, the review of grammatical and idiomatic equivalents (reversed translations), and linguistic and cultural adaptation. Moreover, the intra-researcher reproducibility was evaluated. After the translation, the ELF was carried out with 30 children between zero and three years old, with no history of hearing loss risk, lack of family complaint regarding the overall development of the child, and no indicators of hearing loss disability. The questionnaire was applied in 12 cases of hearing detection at different distances, in quiet and noisy environments. RESULTS: Results were analyzed using a descriptive statistical study based on the results obtained on the ELF score sheet. CONCLUSION: The ELF questionnaire was translated and culturally adapted for the studied population. In Brazilian Portuguese, its designation maintained the acronym ELF. The study verified the instrument's reliability for observing and monitoring the initial stages of hearing behavior.