Brazilian slang: 300 phrases to sound like a local

300 phrases
300 real examples
78 slang
7 regions
54 local phrases
8 marked vulgar

Brazilians are warm and quick to chat, and they talk in slang from the first "e aí?". These 300 phrases are the ones you'll hear in taxis, at the boteco, at the beach and in WhatsApp groups.

Greetings and small talk 34

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
1	Bom dia / boa tarde / boa noite	Good morning / good afternoon / good evening	Bom dia, moça! Tudo bem?Good morning, miss! How are you?	Everyday Say it as you walk into a shop, a bar or a taxi. "Boa noite" also means good night.
2	Oi! / Olá!	Hi! / Hello!	Oi! Você é o Pedro?Hi! Are you Pedro?	Everyday "Oi" is the hello you'll hear most, and "olá" is a bit more formal. Said with a rising tone, "oi?" means "sorry, what?".
3	Tudo bem? / Tudo bom?	How are you? All good?	"Oi, tudo bem?" "Tudo, e você?""Hi, how are you?" "Good, and you?"	Everyday The default hello. Reply "tudo" or "tudo bem, e você?".
4	Obrigado / obrigada	Thank you	Obrigada, moço, foi muito gentil.Thank you, sir, that was very kind.	Everyday Men say "obrigado", women say "obrigada". "Moço" is a friendly way to address a young man.
5	De nada	You're welcome	"Obrigada!" "De nada!""Thank you!" "You're welcome!"	Everyday The plain reply to "obrigado". "Imagina" and "que isso" are the warmer versions.
6	Por favor	Please	Uma água, por favor.A water, please.	Everyday Add it to any order or question. "Por gentileza" is the more formal version.
7	Valeu!	Thanks!	Valeu pela dica do restaurante!Thanks for the restaurant tip!	Casual The thanks you'll hear most. Also means "bye".
8	E aí?	What's up?	E aí, tudo certo?Hey, all good?	Casual The default hello between friends and with anyone your age.
9	Beleza?	All good?	E aí, beleza? Quanto tempo, cara!Hey, all good? Long time, man!	Casual Answer with "beleza" too. It also means "OK, deal".
10	Tranquilo?	All good? Easy?	"E aí, tranquilo?" "Tranquilo, e você?""Hey, all good?" "All good, and you?"	Casual You ask it and answer it with the same word. It also means "no problem".
11	Desculpa	Sorry	Desculpa, pisei no seu pé!Sorry, I stepped on your foot!	Everyday The plain "sorry". "Desculpa o atraso" means "sorry I'm late".
12	Foi mal!	My bad!	Foi mal, não te vi aí!My bad, I didn't see you there!	Casual The quick apology to friends. "Pisei na bola" (I messed up) is for a bigger slip.
13	Tá bom	OK, fine	"Te espero às oito." "Tá bom!""I'll wait for you at 8." "OK!"	Everyday The yes you'll say 50 times a day. Short for "está bom".
14	Tchau!	Bye!	Tchau, até amanhã!Bye, see you tomorrow!	Everyday The goodbye you'll hear most. People often say it twice: "tchau, tchau!".
15	Até mais!	See you!	Valeu pela ajuda, até mais!Thanks for the help, see you!	Everyday A friendly bye for anyone, from a waiter to a new friend. "Até logo" and "até amanhã" work the same way.
16	Como você se chama?	What's your name?	"Como você se chama?" "Me chamo Ana, e você?""What's your name?" "I'm Ana, and you?"	Everyday Answer "me chamo..." or "eu sou o..." for a man and "eu sou a..." for a woman.
17	De onde você é?	Where are you from?	"De onde você é?" "Sou dos Estados Unidos.""Where are you from?" "I'm from the United States."	Everyday The first thing people ask a gringo. Say "sou do Canadá" or "sou da Inglaterra" for other places.
18	Pra que time você torce?	Which team do you support?	"Pra que time você torce?" "Sou Flamengo, e você?""Which team do you support?" "I'm Flamengo, and you?"	Everyday Football is the topic strangers bring up most. "Qual é o seu time?" means the same, and "torcer" means to support a team.
19	Você é daqui?	Are you from here?	Você é daqui ou tá de férias também?Are you from here or on vacation too?	Everyday An easy way to start a chat at a bar or on the beach.
20	Primeira vez no Brasil?	First time in Brazil?	"Primeira vez no Brasil?" "Sim, tô amando!""First time in Brazil?" "Yes, I'm loving it!"	Everyday Locals ask it all the time. Answer "é minha primeira vez" (it's my first time).
21	Não falo bem português	I don't speak Portuguese well	Desculpa, não falo bem português. Você fala inglês?Sorry, I don't speak Portuguese well. Do you speak English?	Everyday People will slow down and help. "Meu português é ruim" (my Portuguese is bad) works too.
22	Não entendi / Pode repetir?	I didn't understand / Can you repeat?	Desculpa, não entendi. Pode repetir, por favor?Sorry, I didn't understand. Can you repeat, please?	Everyday Add "mais devagar" (more slowly) to ask them to slow down.
23	Pode ser	Sure, works for me	"Um cafezinho?" "Pode ser!""A coffee?" "Sure, why not!"	Everyday A relaxed yes to an offer or a plan.
24	Imagina!	Don't mention it	"Obrigado pela ajuda!" "Imagina!""Thanks for the help!" "Don't mention it!"	Everyday The reply to thanks in São Paulo and much of Brazil.
25	Que isso!	No way! Oh, come on!	Que isso, você pagou tudo? Não precisava!No way, you paid for everything? You didn't have to!	Casual Shows surprise. You'll also hear it as a modest brush-off when you thank or praise someone.
26	Prazer!	Nice to meet you!	Prazer, eu sou a Ana.Nice to meet you, I'm Ana.	Everyday Short for "muito prazer". Often with a kiss on the cheek.
27	Firmeza?	All good? Solid?	Firmeza, mano? Tudo certo pra hoje?All good, bro? Everything set for today?	Regional A street-style "beleza?" from the São Paulo outskirts, and you hear it most in São Paulo. As a reply, "firmeza" means "cool, deal".
28	Opa!	Hey there!	Opa, boa noite! Mesa pra dois?Hey, good evening! Table for 2?	Everyday A bright hello you'll hear from waiters and shop staff. Also "oops".
29	De boa	Chill, all good	"Como cê tá?" "De boa, e você?""How are you?" "All good, and you?"	Casual Also means "no worries" or "easy". "Tá suave" and "sussa" mean the same.
30	Fica à vontade	Make yourself at home	Entra, fica à vontade!Come in, make yourself at home!	Everyday Hosts and shop staff say it to put you at ease. In a shop it means "take your time".
31	Falou!	Later!	Falou, a gente se vê amanhã!Later, see you tomorrow!	Slang A quick bye. Also "OK, got it".
32	Fui!	I'm off!	Tá tarde, gente. Fui!It's late, guys. I'm off!	Slang Literally "I went". You say it as you walk out, and you'll see it in group chats too.
33	Beijo!	Kisses, bye	Tchau, beijo! Me manda mensagem.Bye, kisses! Text me.	Casual Friends end calls with it. Men say it to women, women say it to everyone.
34	Abraço!	A hug, take care	Valeu, abraço!Thanks, take care!	Casual How men sign off calls, emails and texts.

Getting around 21

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
35	Chamar um Uber	Call an Uber, book a ride	Vou chamar um Uber, tá?I'll get an Uber, OK?	Everyday Uber and 99 are more common than street taxis.
36	Me leva pro... / me leva pra...	Take me to...	Boa tarde, moço, me leva pro aeroporto?Good afternoon, can you take me to the airport?	Everyday Tell a taxi driver where you're going. Use "pro" before a masculine word, like "pro aeroporto", and "pra" before a feminine one, like "pra praia".
37	Quanto fica até...?	How much to...?	Quanto fica até Copacabana?How much is it to Copacabana?	Everyday Ask the fare before a street taxi sets off.
38	Liga o taxímetro, por favor	Turn on the meter, please	Moço, liga o taxímetro, por favor.Excuse me, turn on the meter, please.	Everyday Say it as soon as you get into a street taxi, before the driver sets off.
39	Pode me deixar aqui	You can drop me here	Pode me deixar aqui na esquina, moço.You can drop me here on the corner.	Everyday The phrase to end a ride.
40	Bandeira 2	Higher taxi rate	De noite é bandeira 2.At night it's the higher rate.	Everyday Taxis charge it at night, Sundays and holidays. The start time differs by city.
41	Moço / moça	Sir / miss (to get attention)	Moço, esse ônibus vai pro centro?Excuse me, does this bus go downtown?	Everyday The polite way to call a stranger your age or younger. Say "senhor" or "senhora" to older people.
42	Com licença	Excuse me (to pass)	Com licença, vou descer no próximo ponto.Excuse me, I'm getting off at the next stop.	Everyday Say it to squeeze past people on a bus or in a crowd.
43	Onde fica o banheiro?	Where's the bathroom?	Com licença, onde fica o banheiro?Excuse me, where's the bathroom?	Everyday "Onde fica...?" works for any place, like "onde fica a praia?".
44	Vira à direita / à esquerda	Turn right / left	Vira à esquerda no segundo sinal.Turn left at the second light.	Everyday You'll hear it from drivers and from anyone you ask for the way.
45	Farol	Traffic light	Vira à direita no farol.Turn right at the light.	Regional São Paulo says "farol". Rio and most of Brazil say "sinal".
46	Sempre reto	Straight ahead	Segue sempre reto, a praia fica no fim da rua.Keep going straight, the beach is at the end of the street.	Everyday "Segue reto" means the same.
47	É longe? / É pertinho	Is it far? / It's really close	"É longe daqui?" "Não, é pertinho, dá pra ir a pé.""Is it far from here?" "No, it's really close, you can walk."	Everyday Careful: "pertinho" can still mean 20 minutes.
48	Não dá mole	Don't be careless	Não dá mole com o celular na praia.Don't be careless with your phone on the beach.	Casual The safety tip locals give you first. "Dar mole pra alguém" means show interest in someone.
49	Carona	A lift	Me dá uma carona até a praia?Can you give me a lift to the beach?	Everyday "Pegar carona" means to catch a lift.
50	Busão	Bus	Peguei o busão errado e fui parar em Niterói.I got the wrong bus and ended up in Niterói.	Slang Friendly word for "ônibus".
51	Ponto	Bus stop	O ponto fica do outro lado da rua.The stop is on the other side of the street.	Everyday Short for "ponto de ônibus".
52	Dar sinal	Wave down the bus	Tem que dar sinal pro ônibus parar.You have to wave for the bus to stop.	Everyday City buses don't stop unless you wave.
53	Passagem	Fare, ticket	Quanto é a passagem do ônibus?How much is the bus fare?	Everyday For buses, subways and planes.
54	Rodoviária	Bus station	Moço, me leva pra rodoviária?Can you take me to the bus station?	Everyday Long-distance buses leave from here. Buy your ticket at the counter or in an app.
55	Tô perdido / tô perdida	I'm lost	Moço, tô perdido. Como chego no metrô?Excuse me, I'm lost. How do I get to the subway?	Everyday Men say "perdido", women say "perdida". Ask a shop or a waiter, not a stranger on a dark street.

Food and drink 25

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
56	Vou querer...	I'll have...	Vou querer o frango grelhado e uma água sem gás.I'll have the grilled chicken and a still water.	Everyday The most common way to order at a table.
57	Cardápio	Menu	Garçom, me traz o cardápio, por favor?Waiter, can you bring me the menu, please?	Everyday "Garçom" is how you call a waiter. Many places show the menu on a QR code.
58	Me vê	Can I get	Me vê dois pães de queijo e um café?Can I get 2 cheese breads and a coffee?	Everyday The most Brazilian way to order at a counter.
59	A conta, por favor	The bill, please	Moço, a conta, por favor. Fecha pra mim?Excuse me, the bill, please. Can you close it out?	Everyday "Fecha a conta pra mim" is the casual way. Waiters won't bring it until you ask.
60	Sou alérgico / alérgica a...	I'm allergic to...	Sou alérgica a camarão. Tem camarão nesse prato?I'm allergic to shrimp. Is there shrimp in this dish?	Everyday Men say "alérgico", women say "alérgica". Shrimp and peanuts ("amendoim") turn up in many dishes.
61	Tem opção vegetariana?	Do you have a vegetarian option?	Moço, tem opção vegetariana no cardápio?Excuse me, is there a vegetarian option on the menu?	Everyday "Sou vegetariano" means "I'm a vegetarian", and "vegano" means vegan.
62	Tô com fome / tô morrendo de fome	I'm hungry / I'm starving	Bora almoçar? Tô morrendo de fome.Shall we get lunch? I'm starving.	Everyday "Tô com sede" means "I'm thirsty".
63	Couvert	Bread starter, cover charge	Não queremos o couvert, obrigado.We don't want the bread starter, thanks.	Everyday Send the bread back if you don't want to pay for it. Bars with live music may add a "couvert artístico".
64	Os dez por cento	The 10% service charge	Os dez por cento já tão na conta?Is the 10% already in the bill?	Everyday Most bills add it. It's optional, so you can ask them to take it off.
65	Uma delícia	Delicious	Essa moqueca tá uma delícia!This moqueca is delicious!	Everyday The go-to food compliment.
66	Pra viagem	To go	É pra viagem, por favor.It's to go, please.	Everyday The opposite is "pra comer aqui".
67	Ô, chefe!	Hey, boss! (to a waiter)	Ô, chefe, mais uma, por favor!Hey, boss, another one, please!	Casual Men call waiters, drivers and vendors "chefe".
68	Capricha!	Go heavy, do it well	Capricha no queijo, moço!Go heavy on the cheese!	Everyday Ask for a bigger portion or a better job.
69	Prato feito	Set lunch plate	O prato feito aqui custa 25 reais.The set lunch here costs 25 reais.	Everyday Rice, beans, meat, salad. Menus often write it "PF".
70	Comida a quilo / self-service	Pay-by-weight buffet	Almoço num restaurante de comida a quilo perto do trabalho.I have lunch at a pay-by-weight place near work.	Everyday You fill your plate and they weigh it. The sign often says "self-service".
71	Rodízio	All you can eat	Vamos num rodízio de carne hoje?Shall we go to an all-you-can-eat steakhouse today?	Everyday Waiters bring meat or pizza to the table nonstop.
72	Bem passado / ao ponto / mal passado	Well done / medium / rare	Pra mim ao ponto, e pra ela mal passado.Medium for me, and rare for her.	Everyday The waiter asks at every steakhouse and rodízio.
73	Sem açúcar	No sugar	Um suco de abacaxi sem açúcar, por favor.A pineapple juice with no sugar, please.	Everyday Juices often come sweetened unless you say so. "Sem gelo" means no ice.
74	Refri	Soda	Me vê um refri e uma coxinha?Can I get a soda and a coxinha?	Everyday Short for "refrigerante". Ask for a "guaraná" to try the soda Brazilians love.
75	Água de coco	Coconut water	Me vê uma água de coco bem gelada?Can I get a nice cold coconut water?	Everyday Vendors sell it straight from the green coconut on every beach.
76	Porção	Sharing plate	Uma porção de fritas e uma de calabresa.A plate of fries and one of sausage.	Everyday The standard bar food order.
77	Salgado	Savory snack	Pedi um salgado e um suco de laranja.I ordered a savory snack and an orange juice.	Everyday Coxinha, pastel, empada and friends.
78	Padaria	Bakery, corner café	Bora tomar café na padaria?Shall we get breakfast at the bakery?	Everyday The place for breakfast: coffee, juice and a hot sandwich at the counter.
79	Cafezinho	A little coffee	Aceita um cafezinho?Would you like a coffee?	Everyday Offered everywhere as a welcome. Usually sweet.
80	Churras	Barbecue	Sábado tem churras lá em casa, traz a cerveja!There's a barbecue at my place on Saturday, bring the beer!	Slang Short for "churrasco". The classic weekend get-together.

Money and shopping 27

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
81	Quanto é? / Quanto custa?	How much is it?	Quanto é esse chapéu, moça?How much is this hat?	Everyday Point at the item and ask. "Quanto custa?" is the same, a little more formal.
82	Quanto deu?	What's the total?	Moço, quanto deu tudo?Excuse me, what does it all come to?	Everyday Ask it at the end of a meal or a round of shopping.
83	Só olhando	Just looking	Obrigado, tô só olhando.Thanks, I'm just looking.	Everyday Say it when shop staff come over.
84	Aceita Pix?	Do you take Pix?	Aceita Pix ou só dinheiro?Do you take Pix or only cash?	Everyday Pix is Brazil's instant bank transfer. You need a Brazilian bank account or a travel app that supports Pix.
85	Passa cartão?	Do you take card?	Passa cartão aqui, moço?Do you take card here?	Everyday Even beach vendors often do.
86	Pois não?	How can I help you?	"Pois não?" "Oi, quanto é esse chapéu?""How can I help you?" "Hi, how much is this hat?"	Everyday Shop staff and waiters say it when you walk up. As a reply, "pois não" means "of course".
87	Maquininha	Card machine	Pera aí que vou buscar a maquininha.Hang on, I'll get the card machine.	Everyday The small card reader every vendor carries.
88	Caixa eletrônico	ATM	Tem um caixa eletrônico aqui perto?Is there an ATM near here?	Everyday Use the ones inside banks, malls or airports, and go in daylight.
89	CPF na nota?	Your tax ID on the receipt?	CPF na nota? Não, obrigado.Tax ID on the receipt? No, thanks.	Everyday Cashiers ask every time. As a tourist just say "não".
90	Faz por quanto?	What's your best price?	Faz por quanto se eu levar duas?What's your best price if I take 2?	Everyday Fine at markets and with street vendors.
91	Camelô / ambulante	Street vendor	Comprei esse boné num camelô por 20 reais.I bought this cap from a street vendor for 20 reais.	Everyday "Ambulante" is the word for vendors who walk the beach.
92	Barraca	Beach stall	A barraca do Zé tem a cerveja mais gelada da praia.Zé's stall has the coldest beer on the beach.	Everyday Rents chairs and umbrellas and brings drinks to you on the sand.
93	Aluga cadeira?	Do you rent chairs?	Moço, aluga cadeira e guarda-sol?Excuse me, do you rent chairs and umbrellas?	Everyday Ask the price before you sit down. You pay the stall owner.
94	Sunga	Men's swim briefs	Esqueci a sunga, vou comprar uma na praia.I forgot my swim briefs, I'll buy some at the beach.	Everyday Most Brazilian men wear these tight trunks on the beach. The tiny thong bikini is a "fio dental", which also means dental floss.
95	Dá um desconto?	Can you give me a discount?	Pago em dinheiro, dá um desconto?I'll pay cash, can you give me a discount?	Everyday Paying in cash often gets one.
96	Meia	Half price, or 6	Tem meia pra estudante?Is there a half-price ticket for students?	Everyday Short for "meia-entrada", the half-price ticket at shows and museums. In phone numbers, "meia" means 6.
97	Troco / trocado	Change / small bills, coins	Tem troco pra cinquenta?Do you have change for a 50?	Everyday "Troco" is the change you get back, and small vendors often don't have it. "Trocado" is small money for tips and street parking.
98	Grana	Money, cash	Tô sem grana esse mês.I'm out of money this month.	Slang The most common word for money. "Bufunfa" is a jokey word for the same.
99	Conto	A real (money)	Paguei dez conto no açaí.I paid 10 bucks for the açaí.	Slang Like "bucks", and it works with any number.
100	Tá caro / Que barato!	It's expensive / How cheap!	Tá caro, moço. Faz por menos?That's expensive. Can you do it for less?	Everyday "Caro" is expensive and "barato" is cheap.
101	Tá salgado	It's pricey	Esse hotel tá salgado, hein.This hotel is pricey, huh.	Casual "Salgado" means salty. A real rip-off is "uma facada" (a stab).
102	Qual é a senha do wi-fi?	What's the wi-fi password?	Oi, qual é a senha do wi-fi?Hi, what's the wi-fi password?	Everyday Ask it at cafes, hotels and hostels. "Senha" is any password or code.
103	Golpe	A scam	Cuidado, esse link do Pix é golpe.Careful, that Pix link is a scam.	Everyday "Golpista" is a scammer. "Cair no golpe" means fall for it.
104	Na faixa	For free	Consegui o ingresso na faixa.I got the ticket for free.	Slang Also "de graça".
105	Tô duro	I'm broke	Não vou sair hoje, tô duro.I'm not going out tonight, I'm broke.	Slang Literally "I'm hard". "Tô liso" means the same in the Northeast.
106	Pão-duro / mão de vaca	Stingy, a cheapskate	Ele é mó pão-duro, nunca paga uma rodada.He's such a cheapskate, he never buys a round.	Casual Friendly teasing, safe to say.
107	Rachar a conta	Split the bill	Vamos rachar a conta?Shall we split the bill?	Everyday Groups usually split evenly.

Bars and going out 23

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
108	Saúde!	Cheers!	Saúde! Ao nosso primeiro dia no Rio!Cheers! To our first day in Rio!	Everyday Look people in the eye when you clink. "Tim-tim!" works too.
109	Boteco	Neighborhood bar	Vamos num boteco depois do trabalho?Shall we hit a bar after work?	Everyday Plastic chairs, cold beer, snacks. Also "buteco" and "botequim".
110	Gelada	Ice-cold beer	Desce uma gelada aí, chefe!Bring us a cold one, boss!	Slang Short for "cerveja gelada". "Breja" and "cerva" are other slang words for beer.
111	Chope	Draft beer	Dois chopes, por favor.2 draft beers, please.	Everyday Bars serve it small and very cold. You'll also see "chopp".
112	Caipirinha	Lime, sugar and cachaça cocktail	Me vê uma caipirinha de limão, por favor.Can I get a lime caipirinha, please?	Everyday The national cocktail. Friends shorten it to "caipi".
113	Trincando	Ice cold	A cerveja tá trincando, do jeito que eu gosto.The beer's ice cold, just how I like it.	Slang The top compliment for a beer.
114	Saideira	One for the road	Essa é a saideira, juro!This is the last one, I swear!	Everyday Never really the last one.
115	Pinga	Cachaça	Uma dose de pinga pra esquentar.A shot of cachaça to warm up.	Casual Also "cana" and "branquinha".
116	Balada	Nightclub, night out	Vamos pra balada sábado?Shall we go clubbing on Saturday?	Casual Strongest in São Paulo.
117	Comanda	Tab card	Não perde a comanda, senão paga multa.Don't lose your tab card, or you pay a fine.	Everyday Clubs and big bars hand you one at the door and mark each drink on it.
118	Consumação mínima	Minimum spend	A consumação mínima é 100 reais por pessoa.The minimum spend is 100 reais a person.	Everyday Some clubs charge it whether you drink or not, so ask at the door.
119	Rolê	An outing, hangout	Qual é o rolê de hoje?What's the plan tonight?	Slang "Dar um rolê" means go out for a walk or a drive.
120	Esquenta	Pre-drinks	O esquenta é lá em casa às nove.Pre-drinks are at my place at 9.	Slang Drinks before the party.
121	Sextou!	It's Friday!	Sextou! Bora pro bar?It's Friday! Shall we hit a bar?	Slang The Friday cheer, all over social media.
122	Lotado	Packed	O bar tá lotado, vamos pra outro.The bar is packed, let's go somewhere else.	Everyday Also for buses and the subway. A full, lively bar is "bombando".
123	Pagode	Laid-back samba music, or a party with it	Domingo tem pagode no bar da esquina.On Sunday there's pagode at the corner bar.	Everyday A relaxed samba style, and also the party where bands play it.
124	Baile funk	Funk party	Fomos num baile funk na comunidade.We went to a funk party in the favela.	Everyday Brazilian funk is a fast, bass-heavy beat from Rio. Go with locals.
125	Bloco	Carnival street party	Em qual bloco você vai sair amanhã?Which carnival street party are you going to tomorrow?	Everyday A band and a crowd that walk through the streets.
126	Pelada	A pickup football game	Domingo tem pelada na praia, quer jogar?There's a pickup game on the beach on Sunday, want to play?	Casual Careful: "pelada" also means "naked". In Salvador it's a "baba".
127	Mengão / Timão	Flamengo / Corinthians (club nicknames)	O bar todo parou pra ver o jogo do Mengão.The whole bar stopped to watch the Flamengo game.	Casual Fans' names for Flamengo, Rio's biggest club, and Corinthians, São Paulo's.
128	Encher a cara	Get wasted	Ontem eu enchi a cara no aniversário dele.Last night I got wasted at his birthday.	Slang Literally "fill your face". "Tomar um porre" means the same.
129	Tô bêbado	I'm drunk	Acho que tô bêbado, vou pra casa.I think I'm drunk, I'm going home.	Everyday "Bebaço" means very drunk.
130	Ressaca	Hangover	Tô com uma ressaca daquelas.I've got a killer hangover.	Everyday Also rough sea after a storm.

Friends and people 17

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
131	Cara	Dude, man	Cara, essa praia é linda!Dude, this beach is beautiful!	Casual Brazilians call men "cara", and often women too. It also means "a guy".
132	Galera	Everyone, the crew	Galera, bora tirar uma foto?Everyone, shall we take a photo?	Casual A group of friends or a crowd.
133	Bonde	A crew, your group	Chama o bonde, a festa vai começar!Call the crew, the party's about to start!	Slang Your group of friends. It also means a tram, like the one in Santa Teresa, Rio.
134	Gringo	Foreigner	Os gringos adoram a feijoada daqui.Foreigners love the feijoada here.	Everyday Means any foreigner, Americans and Europeans alike. Rarely rude.
135	Gente	You all, people	Gente, que calor!Guys, it's so hot!	Everyday Calls a group. Also "a gente" means "we".
136	Tamo junto	We're in this together	Qualquer coisa me liga, tamo junto.Call me if you need anything, I've got your back.	Slang Thanks, support and goodbye in one.
137	Mano	Bro	Mano, cê viu o jogo ontem?Bro, did you see the game last night?	Slang Strongest in São Paulo, and women use it too. "Brother" (said "bró-der") means the same.
138	Mina	Girl	Aquela mina é minha prima.That girl is my cousin.	Slang You hear it all over, most in São Paulo. A friendly word.
139	Véi	Dude, man	Véi, cê viu o preço da cerveja aqui?Dude, did you see the beer prices here?	Regional Strongest in Brasília, Goiás and Salvador. It comes from "velho" (old).
140	Bicho	Dude, mate	Ô bicho, quanto tempo!Hey, mate, long time no see!	Slang It sounds a bit old-school, but older people still say it. Literally "animal".
141	Gente boa	Good people, nice	O dono da pousada é gente boa demais.The guesthouse owner is super nice.	Everyday The top compliment for a person.
142	Tio / tia	Uncle / auntie (any older adult)	Tia, me vê um açaí?Auntie, can I get an açaí?	Casual For older vendors, teachers or friends' parents.
143	Malandro	Street-smart hustler	Ele é malandro, sempre se dá bem.He's a hustler, he always comes out on top.	Casual Half praise, half warning.
144	Amigo da onça	A fake friend	Ele contou meu segredo, amigo da onça!He told my secret, some friend he is!	Casual Literally "the jaguar's friend". Someone who acts nice and lets you down.
145	Trocar ideia	Chat, talk things over	Bora trocar uma ideia depois do almoço?Want to have a chat after lunch?	Slang Literally "swap ideas". A friendly way to say you want a word with someone.
146	É nóis!	That's us! We're in!	"Bora pro show sábado?" "É nóis!""Shall we go to the show on Saturday?" "Count us in!"	Slang Young people say it to cheer their crew or to say yes to a plan. You'll also see it written "é nós".
147	Babado	Juicy gossip, drama	Menina, tenho um babado pra te contar!Girl, I've got some juicy gossip for you!	Slang It sounds a little dated, but you'll still hear "que babado!" (what drama!) all the time.

Reactions and feelings 38

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
148	Saudade	Longing, missing someone	Vou morrer de saudade do Brasil.I'll miss Brazil like crazy.	Everyday "Que saudade!" means "I miss you so much!". English has no one word for it.
149	Nossa!	Wow!	Nossa, que vista linda!Wow, what a beautiful view!	Everyday The reaction you'll hear most. Short for "Nossa Senhora".
150	Putz!	Wow! Damn!	Putz, perdi o ônibus!Damn, I missed the bus!	Casual A mild exclamation for a bad surprise, safe to say in front of anyone. It softens "puta que pariu".
151	Poxa!	Aw, man!	Poxa, o museu tá fechado hoje.Aw, man, the museum's closed today.	Everyday For a letdown or a small surprise. "Poxa vida!" is stronger.
152	Tá de sacanagem?	Are you kidding me?	Tá de sacanagem? Cem reais no táxi?Are you kidding me? 100 reais for the taxi?	Casual Shows you can't believe it. "Sacanagem" can also mean something dirty, so keep it for friends.
153	Top	Great, excellent	O hotel é top, super recomendo.The hotel is great, I really recommend it.	Slang Comes from English. Also "top demais".
154	Lacrou!	Nailed it! Slayed!	Lacrou com esse look!You slayed with that outfit!	Slang From "lacrar", to seal. Young people say it for a perfect comeback or look.
155	Mitou!	Nailed it!	Mitou na prova de português!You nailed the Portuguese test!	Slang From "mito" (legend). "Mitar" means to nail something, and you'll see it all over social media.
156	Show de bola	Brilliant	Seu português tá show de bola!Your Portuguese is brilliant!	Casual Also just "show!".
157	Massa!	Awesome!	A festa foi massa!The party was awesome!	Regional Strongest in the Northeast, Brasília and the South.
158	Brabo	Awesome, or tough	O show do Gil foi brabo!Gil's show was awesome!	Slang Young people use it for something great. It can also mean tough or angry.
159	Cabuloso	Awesome, or scary	Esse show foi cabuloso!That show was awesome!	Slang It can also mean creepy or dangerous, so watch the tone.
160	Credo!	Ugh! Yikes!	Credo, que barata enorme!Ugh, what a huge cockroach!	Everyday For something gross or scary. Grandmas say it as often as teens.
161	Tá osso	It's tough	Achar hotel no Carnaval tá osso.Finding a hotel during Carnival is tough.	Slang Literally "it's bone". For a hard day, a hard task or a tight budget.
162	Nem a pau	No way	Pular de paraquedas? Nem a pau!Skydiving? No way!	Casual A firm no. "Nem pensar" means the same.
163	Caramba!	Wow, geez!	Caramba, esqueci o passaporte!Geez, I forgot my passport!	Everyday Safe for any company. "Pra caramba" means "loads", as in "tá calor pra caramba".
164	Caraca!	Whoa!	Caraca, que onda gigante!Whoa, what a huge wave!	Slang A clean way to say "wow". You hear it all over, most in Rio.
165	Rapaz!	Man! Wow!	Rapaz, que calor é esse?Man, how hot is it today?	Casual Literally "young man", but you say it to anyone. Strongest in the Northeast.
166	Golaço!	What a goal!	Golaço! Você viu esse chute?What a goal! Did you see that shot?	Everyday It also means a big win off the pitch, as in "esse jantar foi um golaço".
167	Deu zebra	An upset, a shock result	O time pequeno ganhou, deu zebra!The small team won, what an upset!	Casual For any surprise result, in football or in life.
168	Da hora	Cool	Esse bar é muito da hora.This bar is really cool.	Regional Strongest in São Paulo.
169	Maneiro	Cool	Que tênis maneiro!What cool sneakers!	Regional Strongest in Rio.
170	Eita!	Whoa! Uh-oh!	Eita, começou a chover!Uh-oh, it started raining!	Casual Strongest in the Northeast, but you hear it everywhere.
171	Vixe!	Yikes!	Vixe, perdi o ônibus!Yikes, I missed the bus!	Casual Also "vish". From "Virgem Maria".
172	Flopou	It flopped	O show flopou, quase ninguém foi.The show flopped, hardly anyone went.	Slang From English "flop". "Flopar" works for a post, a party or a plan.
173	Chato	Annoying, boring	Que chato, choveu o dia todo e não deu pra ir à praia.How annoying, it rained all day and we couldn't go to the beach.	Everyday For a person, a thing or a day. "Que chato!" also means "what a shame".
174	Mentira!	No way!	Mentira! Você conhece a Anitta?No way! You know Anitta?	Everyday Shows happy surprise. Literally "lie!".
175	Irado!	Awesome!	A trilha até a praia foi irada!The trail to the beach was awesome!	Slang You hear it all over, most in Rio. "Irado" literally means "angry", but here it's praise.
176	Tô bolado	I'm upset	Tô bolado com o que ele falou.I'm upset about what he said.	Slang Upset, annoyed or puzzled. Started in Rio.
177	Tô passado / passada	I'm shocked	Tô passada com o preço desse hotel!I'm shocked at the price of this hotel!	Slang "Passado" for a man, "passada" for a woman.
178	Surtar	Freak out	Quase surtei quando perdi o cartão.I nearly freaked out when I lost my card.	Casual For any meltdown, big or small.
179	Tô na bad	I'm feeling down	Tô na bad desde que ela foi embora.I've been down since she left.	Slang From English "bad".
180	Tô morto	I'm exhausted	Andei o dia todo, tô morto.I walked all day, I'm dead tired.	Casual Also "tô morta", "tô pregado".
181	Que cringe!	So cringe!	Que cringe, ele mandou áudio cantando!So cringe, he sent a voice note of himself singing!	Slang Comes from English. "Vergonha alheia" is the older way to say second-hand embarrassment.
182	Pagar mico	Embarrass yourself	Paguei mico tentando sambar.I embarrassed myself trying to samba.	Casual Literally "pay the monkey".
183	Ranço	Strong dislike, a grudge	Peguei ranço dele depois daquela grosseria.I can't stand him since he was so rude.	Slang "Pegar ranço" means start to dislike.
184	Tô nem aí	I don't care	Pode falar o que quiser, tô nem aí.Say what you want, I don't care.	Casual Can sound rude if said to someone.
185	Que legal!	How cool!	Você vai pra Bahia? Que legal!You're going to Bahia? How cool!	Everyday "Legal" is the most common word for "nice" or "cool".

Fillers and everyday words 28

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
186	Né?	Right?	Tá quente hoje, né?It's hot today, right?	Everyday From "não é". Ends half of all sentences.
187	Pode crer	For sure, you bet	"Esse açaí é o melhor da cidade." "Pode crer!""This açaí is the best in town." "For sure!"	Slang Agrees with someone. Literally "you can believe it".
188	Tipo	Like	Era tipo meia-noite quando chegamos.It was like midnight when we got there.	Casual The filler of every young Brazilian.
189	Pois é	Yeah, exactly	"Que calor, hein?" "Pois é!""So hot, huh?" "Yeah, I know!"	Everyday Agrees with what someone just said.
190	Tô ligado	I know, I get it	"O metrô fecha à meia-noite." "Tô ligado.""The subway closes at midnight." "Yeah, I know."	Slang "Tá ligado?" means "you know?".
191	Saquei	Got it	Saquei, é só virar à esquerda.Got it, I just turn left.	Slang From "sacar", to get it.
192	Se liga!	Watch out, pay attention!	Se liga na bolsa, aqui tem muito furto.Watch your bag, there's a lot of theft here.	Slang A warning or a "listen up".
193	Pegar	To grab, to catch	Vou pegar o ônibus das oito.I'll take the 8 o'clock bus.	Casual The all-purpose verb: grab a bag, catch a bus, pick someone up. It can also mean "hook up", so see the false friends table.
194	Fofoca	Gossip	Que fofoca é essa? Me conta tudo!What gossip is this? Tell me everything!	Casual "Fofocar" is to gossip and a "fofoqueiro" is a gossip. A juicier story is a "babado".
195	Cadê?	Where is?	Cadê meu celular?Where's my phone?	Everyday The spoken way to ask "where is".
196	Pera aí	Hang on	Pera aí, vou pegar a carteira.Hang on, I'll grab my wallet.	Casual Also "peraí" or just "pera".
197	Sei lá	Dunno	"Que horas abre?" "Sei lá, umas dez?""What time does it open?" "Dunno, around 10?"	Casual A shrug in 2 words.
198	Se pá	Maybe	Se pá eu vou na praia amanhã.Maybe I'll go to the beach tomorrow.	Slang Young people say it all the time.
199	Com certeza	For sure	"Você volta ano que vem?" "Com certeza!""Are you coming back next year?" "For sure!"	Everyday A warm, strong yes.
200	Ué	Huh?	Ué, cadê todo mundo?Huh, where is everyone?	Everyday Mild surprise or confusion.
201	Nada a ver	Nothing to do with it, nonsense	Isso não tem nada a ver!That makes no sense!	Everyday Also "no way" or "not my style".
202	Tanto faz	Whatever, either way	Praia ou piscina? Tanto faz.Beach or pool? Either is fine.	Everyday Neutral in tone.
203	Pô	Come on, man	Pô, cara, você esqueceu de novo?Come on, man, you forgot again?	Casual Adds stress or mild annoyance. You hear it all over, most in Rio.
204	Demais	Really, so	Essa comida é boa demais!This food is so good!	Everyday Usually means "very" or "so".
205	Mó	Very, really big	Tá mó fila no restaurante.There's a really long line at the restaurant.	Slang Short for "maior". Paulistanos say "mó legal", "mó fila", "mó caro". Put it before any adjective.
206	Na real	Honestly, actually	Na real, eu prefiro ficar em casa.Honestly, I'd rather stay home.	Slang Starts an honest opinion.
207	Na moral	Seriously, for real	Na moral, esse foi o melhor açaí da minha vida.Seriously, that was the best açaí of my life.	Slang It also asks a favor nicely, as in "na moral, me empresta o carregador?".
208	Boiar	Be lost, not get it	Todo mundo riu e eu fiquei boiando.Everyone laughed and I was totally lost.	Slang Literally "to float". You'll do it a lot at first.
209	Bagulho	Thing, stuff	Que bagulho é esse na sua mochila?What's this thing in your backpack?	Slang Any thing. Can also mean weed, so watch the context.
210	Parada	Thing, matter	A parada é a seguinte: a gente sai às sete.Here's the thing: we leave at 7.	Slang Any thing or situation. Big in Rio.
211	Zap	WhatsApp	Me manda no zap.Send it to me on WhatsApp.	Slang Also "zapzap". Everyone in Brazil uses WhatsApp.
212	Trampo	Work, a job	Saio do trampo às seis e te encontro.I get off work at 6 and I'll meet you.	Slang Any job or work. "Trampar" means to work.
213	Kkkkk	Hahaha	Kkkkk não acredito que você caiu!Hahaha I can't believe you fell!	Slang Texts only, and more k's means more laughing. "Rsrs" is a softer, older version.

Time and plans 17

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
214	Que horas são? / A que horas?	What time is it? / At what time?	A que horas abre o museu?What time does the museum open?	Everyday "São três horas" means it's 3 o'clock.
215	Bora! / Partiu!	Let's go!	"Bora pra praia?" "Partiu!""Shall we hit the beach?" "Let's go!"	Casual "Bora" is short for "vamos embora", and "partiu praia" is big on Instagram.
216	Fechou! / Demorou!	Deal! You bet!	"Amanhã às oito?" "Fechou!""Tomorrow at 8?" "Deal!"	Slang Locks in a plan. "Demorou" (also written "demorô") means the same.
217	Tô dentro	I'm in	Trilha amanhã cedo? Tô dentro!Hike early tomorrow? I'm in!	Casual "Tô fora" means "count me out".
218	Topa?	Are you up for it?	Topa um açaí depois da praia?Up for an açaí after the beach?	Everyday "Topo!" means "I'm up for it".
219	Combinado	Agreed	Te pego às nove, combinado?I'll pick you up at 9, agreed?	Everyday Confirms a plan.
220	Pode deixar!	Leave it to me, will do	"Me avisa quando chegar?" "Pode deixar!""Let me know when you get there?" "Will do!"	Everyday Waiters and hosts say it when they'll handle something. "Pode deixar que eu pago" means "I've got this one".
221	Rolar	Happen, be on	Vai rolar uma festa hoje?Is there a party on tonight?	Slang "Rola?" means "is that possible?".
222	Já já	In a moment	Já já eu chego.I'll be there in a moment.	Everyday Can mean 5 minutes or 50. "Daqui a pouco" (in a bit) is just as loose.
223	Vazar	Leave, head out	Tá chato aqui, bora vazar?It's boring here, shall we head out?	Slang "Vou vazar" means "I'm off". "Vaza!" on its own means "get lost", so say it only as a joke.
224	Tô chegando	I'm almost there	Tô chegando, cinco minutinhos!I'm almost there, 5 minutes!	Everyday Often means "I just left".
225	Tô atrasado / atrasada	I'm running late	Desculpa, tô atrasada, chego em dez minutos!Sorry, I'm running late, I'll be there in 10 minutes!	Everyday "Atrasado" for a man, "atrasada" for a woman.
226	Marcar	Set a date	Vamos marcar um café qualquer dia.Let's get coffee one of these days.	Everyday "Vamos marcar" is often just polite.
227	Furar	Bail on a plan	Ela furou de novo!She bailed again!	Slang "Furar com alguém" means let someone down. "Furar a fila" means cut the line.
228	Dar um bolo	Stand someone up	Ele me deu um bolo ontem.He stood me up yesterday.	Casual Literally "give a cake".
229	Colar	Show up, come along	Cola lá em casa mais tarde!Come by my place later!	Slang "Cola com a gente" means "come with us".
230	FDS	The weekend	O que você vai fazer no FDS?What are you doing this weekend?	Slang Short for "fim de semana", mostly in texts. On its own as a reply, "fds" means "foda-se" (who cares), which is rude.

Teasing and insults 21

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
231	Zoeira	Banter, messing around	Relaxa, é só zoeira!Relax, it's just banter!	Slang Also "zuera". "Zoar" means to tease, and "tá zoando?" means "are you kidding?".
232	Idiota	Idiot	Para de ser idiota, cara!Stop being an idiot, man!	Casual Strong from a stranger. Friends use it as a joke.
233	Trouxa	Sucker, pushover	Paguei o triplo, fui trouxa.I paid triple, I was a sucker.	Slang Someone who gets fooled or taken advantage of. You can say it about yourself.
234	Babaca	Jerk	Que cara babaca, furou a fila!What a jerk, he cut the line!	Casual A mild insult you'll even hear on TV.
235	Encher o saco	Annoy, bug	Para de encher o saco!Stop bugging me!	Casual "Que saco!" alone means "how annoying!", and "saco" started as a crude word.
236	Otário	Sucker, idiot	Ele me cobrou o dobro, achou que eu era otário.He charged me double, he thought I was a sucker.	Slang A put-down for someone easy to fool. Don't call a stranger it.
237	Merda / bosta	Shit, crap	Que merda, perdi o ônibus!Damn it, I missed the bus!	Vulgar Both work like "shit". "Uma merda" means "awful", and "bosta" can also put down a person.
238	Cara de pau	Shameless	Que cara de pau, pediu dinheiro emprestado de novo!How shameless, he asked to borrow money again!	Casual Literally "wooden face".
239	Sem noção	Clueless, out of line	Que cara sem noção, botou música alta no ônibus.What a clueless guy, he played loud music on the bus.	Casual For someone who has no idea how to act.
240	Vacilão	Someone who drops the ball	Vacilão, chegou duas horas atrasado!You flake, you showed up 2 hours late!	Slang "Vacilo" is the mistake itself.
241	Moleque	Brat, cheeky kid	Esse moleque chutou a bola no meu carro!That brat kicked the ball at my car!	Casual A boy who runs wild in the street, or a cheeky young man. Friends say it with a smile.
242	Mané	Fool, dope	Nem vem, eu não sou mané!Don't try it, I'm no fool!	Slang Calls someone a fool. Cheeky between friends, rude to a stranger.
243	Meter o louco	Act reckless, go for it	Ele meteu o louco e saiu sem pagar.He went reckless and left without paying.	Slang You do something bold or crazy, often to get away with it. Playing dumb is "se fazer de louco".
244	Treta	Fight, drama	Deu treta na festa ontem.There was drama at the party last night.	Slang Also online arguments.
245	Barraco	A scene, a shouting match	Ela fez o maior barraco no bar.She made a huge scene at the bar.	Slang "Fazer barraco" means make a scene in public. Literally "a shack".
246	Porra!	Fuck! Shit!	Porra, perdi o voo!Shit, I missed my flight!	Vulgar The most common swear word. Avoid in polite company.
247	Caralho!	Fuck!	Caralho, que golaço!Fuck, what a goal!	Vulgar Strong, and literally "dick". "Pra caralho" means "a fuckload".
248	Vai se ferrar	Get lost, screw you	Vai se ferrar, eu não te devo nada!Screw you, I don't owe you anything!	Vulgar It has no swear word in it, but it's still rude to say to anyone.
249	Puta que pariu!	Fucking hell!	Puta que pariu, que calor!Fucking hell, it's hot!	Vulgar Very strong. People shorten it to "putz" or write "PQP".
250	Filho da puta	Son of a bitch	Aquele filho da puta roubou meu celular!That son of a bitch stole my phone!	Vulgar Very strong. People type "FDP" in texts.
251	Vai tomar no cu	Fuck off, up yours	Ele mandou o juiz tomar no cu.He told the ref to fuck off.	Vulgar A real insult that fans shout at football refs. Never say it to a stranger.

Love and flirting 29

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
252	Quer dançar?	Want to dance?	Oi, quer dançar comigo?Hi, want to dance with me?	Everyday The opener at any forró or gafieira night.
253	Posso te pagar uma bebida?	Can I buy you a drink?	Oi, tudo bem? Posso te pagar uma bebida?Hi, how's it going? Can I buy you a drink?	Everyday A polite opener at a bar. "Não, obrigada" is a clear no, so take it.
254	Me passa seu Insta?	Can I get your Instagram?	Adorei te conhecer, me passa seu Insta?Loved meeting you, can I get your Instagram?	Casual "Me passa seu zap?" asks for their WhatsApp.
255	Você tá solteira? / Você tá solteiro?	Are you single?	E aí, você tá solteira?So, are you single?	Casual Ask a woman "solteira" and a man "solteiro". Ask it with a smile, not as an opener.
256	Quer sair comigo?	Want to go out with me?	Quer sair comigo amanhã? Conheço um bar ótimo.Want to go out with me tomorrow? I know a great bar.	Everyday The plain way to ask for a date.
257	Tô a fim de você	I'm into you	Acho que tô a fim de você.I think I'm into you.	Casual "Tô a fim de" also means "I feel like", as in "tô a fim de uma cerveja".
258	Você é muito linda / lindo	You're really beautiful	Você é muito linda, sabia?You're really beautiful, you know?	Everyday "Linda" to a woman, "lindo" to a man. Sweet and safe.
259	Gosto de você / Te adoro	I like you / I adore you	Gosto muito de você, sabia?I really like you, you know?	Everyday Friends say "te adoro" to each other too, and "te amo" is for real love.
260	Gata / gato	Hottie	Aquela gata tá olhando pra você.That hottie is looking at you.	Slang Literally "cat". A friendly compliment.
261	Namorado / namorada	Boyfriend / girlfriend	Ela tem namorado?Does she have a boyfriend?	Everyday "Namorar" means to date someone steadily.
262	Ficar	Hook up, make out	A gente ficou no Carnaval.We hooked up during Carnival.	Casual Usually kissing, no strings, and it also means "stay". "Pegar" means the same but sounds cruder, and a "ficante" is someone you hook up with more than once.
263	Peguete	A casual fling	Ela não é minha namorada, é só uma peguete.She's not my girlfriend, just a casual fling.	Slang Someone you hook up with, no strings. It sounds a bit cruder than "ficante".
264	Borogodó	Charm, that special something	Ela tem um borogodó que ninguém explica.She's got a charm nobody can explain.	Casual A bit old-fashioned, so it sounds warm and playful.
265	Paquerar	To flirt	A gente ficou se paquerando a noite toda.We flirted all night.	Everyday "Paquera" is the flirting, or the person you're flirting with.
266	Xavecar	Sweet-talk, chat up	Ele xavecou a menina do bar.He chatted up the girl at the bar.	Slang "Xaveco" is the chat-up itself.
267	Cantada	Pickup line	Que cantada ruim, kkk.What a bad pickup line, haha.	Everyday "Passar uma cantada" means use a line.
268	Contatinho	Someone you're texting	Ela tem uns três contatinhos no zap.She's got about 3 guys she's texting on WhatsApp.	Slang A crush or fling you keep in touch with, often one of several.
269	Rolo	A fling, or a mess	Eles têm um rolo desde o Carnaval.They've had a thing going since Carnival.	Slang A relationship with no labels. "Deu rolo" means it turned into a mess.
270	Crush	A crush	Meu crush curtiu minha foto!My crush liked my photo!	Slang Comes from English. "O boy" is the guy you're already seeing.
271	Shippar	Root for a couple	Todo mundo shippa os dois desde o carnaval.Everyone's been rooting for them since Carnival.	Slang From English "ship". It works for real couples and TV ones.
272	Gostoso / gostosa	Tasty, delicious	Esse bolo tá muito gostoso!This cake is really tasty!	Everyday Use it for food only. About a person it is crude, so don't say it.
273	Safado / safada	Cheeky, naughty	Ai, seu safado, para com isso!Oh, you naughty thing, stop it!	Casual Playful when you flirt, but it also means a crook, so watch the tone.
274	Deixar no vácuo	Leave on read	Mandei mensagem e ele me deixou no vácuo.I texted and he left me on read.	Slang "Ficar no vácuo" means get no reply.
275	Levar um fora	Get dumped, get rejected	Levei um fora no meio da festa.I got turned down in the middle of the party.	Casual "Dar um fora" means turn someone down.
276	Mozão	Babe, my love	Mozão, você viu minha chave?Babe, have you seen my key?	Slang From "amor". Also "mô" and "mozinho".
277	Xodó	Sweetheart, favorite	Ela é o meu xodó.She's my sweetheart.	Casual For a partner, a kid, a pet or even a favorite car.
278	Cafuné	Stroking someone's hair	Faz um cafuné em mim?Will you stroke my hair?	Everyday English has no word for it, and Brazilians love it.
279	Capacho	Doormat, pushover	Ele é capacho da namorada, faz tudo que ela manda.He's his girlfriend's doormat, he does whatever she says.	Slang Someone who bends over backward for another person. Literally a "doormat".
280	Chifre	Being cheated on	Ela descobriu pelo Instagram que levou chifre.She found out on Instagram that he cheated on her.	Slang Literally "horn". "Corno" is the man cheated on, and it's rude.

Sayings and expressions 20

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
281	Se Deus quiser	God willing	Amanhã vai fazer sol, se Deus quiser.It'll be sunny tomorrow, God willing.	Everyday You'll hear it after almost any plan, even from people who don't go to church.
282	Graças a Deus	Thank God	Graças a Deus achei meu passaporte!Thank God I found my passport!	Everyday It's also a common reply to "tudo bem?": "Tudo, graças a Deus".
283	Deus me livre!	God forbid! No way!	Morar em São Paulo? Deus me livre!Live in São Paulo? God forbid!	Everyday A strong no to something you'd hate.
284	Deus é brasileiro	God is Brazilian	Choveu a semana toda e abriu sol no dia da praia. Deus é brasileiro!It rained all week and the sun came out on beach day. God is Brazilian!	Casual People say it when luck saves the day, like after a near miss or a late goal.
285	Deu ruim	It went wrong	Deu ruim, o voo foi cancelado.Bad news, the flight got cancelled.	Slang Literally "it gave bad".
286	Perrengue	A rough time, a hassle	Perdi o passaporte, foi o maior perrengue.I lost my passport, it was a total nightmare.	Slang Every trip has one. "Passar perrengue" means go through it.
287	Dar um jeito	Find a way	Relaxa, a gente dá um jeito.Relax, we'll figure it out.	Everyday The Brazilian answer to most problems.
288	Jeitinho brasileiro	The Brazilian knack for a workaround	Relaxa, com um jeitinho a gente entra.Relax, with a little workaround we'll get in.	Everyday Bending rules to solve a problem. Pride and a joke.
289	Mandar bem	Do great, nail it	Mandou bem no português!You did great with your Portuguese!	Slang "Mandou mal" means you blew it. "Deu bom" means it worked out.
290	Quebrar o galho	Help out, make do	Valeu por quebrar o galho!Thanks for helping me out!	Everyday Also a quick fix: "um quebra-galho".
291	Pagar o pato	Take the blame	Ele quebrou o copo e eu paguei o pato.He broke the glass and I took the blame.	Casual You pay for something you didn't do.
292	Cair a ficha	The penny drops	Só agora caiu a ficha que eu tô no Brasil!It's only just sunk in that I'm in Brazil!	Casual From old phone tokens.
293	Acabou em pizza	It all came to nothing	A polícia investigou o golpe, mas acabou em pizza.The police looked into the scam, but nothing came of it.	Casual People say it when a scandal ends with no one punished, and you'll hear it about politics all the time.
294	Chutar o balde	Give up, say "forget it"	Perdi o terceiro ônibus e chutei o balde, fui de Uber.I missed the third bus and said forget it, I took an Uber.	Casual Literally "kick the bucket". In Brazil it means you quit a plan or stop caring about the rules.
295	Engolir sapo	Bite your tongue	Engoli sapo quando o taxista me cobrou a mais.I bit my tongue when the taxi driver overcharged me.	Casual Literally "swallow a toad". You put up with something and stay quiet.
296	Tirar o cavalinho da chuva	Don't count on it	Pode tirar o cavalinho da chuva, o show tá esgotado.Don't count on it, the show is sold out.	Casual Literally "take your little horse out of the rain". Tells someone to give up on an idea.
297	Papo furado	Empty talk	Isso é papo furado, ninguém vai pagar.That's just talk, no one's going to pay.	Casual The opposite is "papo reto", straight talk.
298	Pegar no pé	Nag, get on someone's case	Minha mãe vive pegando no meu pé.My mom is always on my case.	Casual You say it about parents, bosses or partners who won't let something go.
299	Enfiar o pé na jaca	Overindulge	Enfiei o pé na jaca no rodízio.I went way overboard at the all-you-can-eat.	Casual Too much food, drink or partying.
300	É foda	It's tough, it's a bitch	É foda acordar cedo depois do Carnaval.It's brutal waking up early after Carnival.	Vulgar Also "foda" alone means "awesome". Avoid in polite company.

Around Brazil 54

Brazil is huge, so a word that's normal in Porto Alegre can get a blank look in Salvador.

Rio de Janeiro

The beach city, where cariocas talk fast and turn their "s" into "sh".

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Coé?	What's up?	Coé, mermão, tudo certo?What's up, bro, all good?
Mermão	Bro	Aí, mermão, chega mais!Hey, bro, come over!
Já é!	Done! I'm in!	"Praia amanhã?" "Já é!""Beach tomorrow?" "I'm in!"
Caô	A lie, bull	Para de caô, eu sei que você tava lá.Stop the bull, I know you were there.
Pé sujo	Dive bar	Bora num pé sujo depois da praia?Want to hit a dive bar after the beach?
Podrão	Late-night street burger or hot dog	Saí da balada e fui comer um podrão.I left the club and went for a street hot dog.
Sinistro	Awesome, or scary	A vista do Pão de Açúcar é sinistra!The view from Sugarloaf is awesome!
Gelo	A beer	Bora tomar um gelo depois da praia?Want to grab a beer after the beach?
Mate	Iced mate tea, sold on the beach	Ô, moço, me vê um mate com limão e um Biscoito Globo?Hey, can I get an iced mate with lemon and a Biscoito Globo?
Levar caldo	Get wiped out by a wave	Levei um caldo em Ipanema e perdi os óculos.I got wiped out by a wave at Ipanema and lost my sunglasses.

São Paulo

The giant business city, where paulistanos say "meu" and "mano" in every sentence.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Meu	Mate, man	Fala, meu! Que trânsito, hein?Hey, man! What traffic, huh?
Bolacha	Cookie, cracker (most of Brazil says "biscoito")	Me vê um pacote de bolacha recheada?Can I get a pack of sandwich cookies?
Embaçado	Tricky, a mess	O trânsito na Marginal tá embaçado hoje.The traffic on the Marginal is a mess today.
Truta	Buddy	Meu truta vai colar com a gente.My buddy is coming with us.
Quebrada	The hood, your area	Na minha quebrada todo mundo se conhece.In my hood everyone knows each other.
Orra, meu!	Wow, man! Come on, man!	Orra, meu, três horas de trânsito na Marginal!Man, 3 hours of traffic on the Marginal!
Pão na chapa	Buttered griddled bread	O pão na chapa daqui é o melhor do bairro.The griddled bread here is the best in the area.

Minas Gerais

The inland state of Belo Horizonte and the old gold towns, where mineiros swallow half of every word.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Uai	Well! Huh?	Uai, ele não vem?Huh, he's not coming?
Sô	Man (filler)	Calma, sô, já tô indo.Easy, man, I'm on my way.
Trem	Thing, stuff	Me passa esse trem aí.Pass me that thing.
Trem bão	Something really good	Esse pão de queijo é trem bão demais!This cheese bread is so good!
Nó!	Wow!	Nó, que comida boa!Wow, what good food!
Nossinhora!	Oh my God!	Nossinhora, que fila enorme!Oh my God, what a huge line!
Arreda!	Move over!	Arreda um pouquinho pra eu sentar.Move over a bit so I can sit.
Quitanda	Homemade snacks	Na casa da vó sempre tem quitanda.There are always homemade snacks at Grandma's.

Salvador and Bahia

Salvador and the Bahia coast, where baianos also say "véi" and "massa" all day.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Oxe! / Oxente!	What?!	Oxe, que história é essa?What?! What's this story?
Colé?	What's up?	Colé, véi, beleza?What's up, man, all good?
Pai	Man, bro	Ei, pai, quanto é o acarajé?Hey, man, how much is the acarajé?
É barril	It's intense, risky	Andar ali de madrugada é barril.Walking there late at night is risky.
Lá ele!	God forbid! Not me!	Perder o voo? Lá ele!Miss the flight? God forbid!
Painho / mainha	Dad / mom	Vou passar o Natal com mainha.I'm spending Christmas with Mom.
Ó paí, ó!	Look at that! Just look!	Ó paí, ó, que fila pro elevador!Just look at that line for the elevator!
Baba	A pickup football game	Domingo tem baba na praia, bora?There's a pickup game on the beach on Sunday, coming?

Recife and Fortaleza

The big beach cities of Pernambuco and Ceará, where forró plays in every bar.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Visse?	Right? Got it? (Recife)	Tá tarde, visse? Bora embora.It's late, OK? Let's head out.
Macho	Dude, man (Fortaleza)	Ei, macho, bora pra praia?Hey, man, want to hit the beach?
Arretado	Awesome, or angry	O forró ontem tava arretado!The forró last night was awesome!
Abestado	Silly, a fool	Deixa de ser abestado, menino!Stop being silly, kid!
Avexado	In a hurry	Calma, não precisa ficar avexado.Easy, no need to rush.
Zuada	Noise, racket	Que zuada é essa na rua?What's all that noise in the street?
Pirangueiro	A cheapskate, a freeloader	Deixa de ser pirangueiro e paga a cerveja!Stop being a cheapskate and pay for the beer!

Rio Grande do Sul

Porto Alegre and the gaúcho lands of Rio Grande do Sul, where people drink chimarrão all day.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Bah!	Wow, gosh	Bah, que frio!Gosh, it's cold!
Tchê	Mate, man	Tchê, bora tomar um chimarrão?Man, want some chimarrão?
Tri	Very, super	O jogo foi tri legal.The game was super cool.
Guri / guria	Boy / girl, kid	A guria do lado é muito querida.The girl next door is so sweet.
Pila	A real (money)	Custou cinquenta pila.It cost 50 bucks.
Bergamota	Tangerine	Me vê uma dúzia de bergamotas.Can I get a dozen tangerines?
Capaz!	No way!	"Ganhei na loteria." "Capaz!""I won the lottery." "No way!"
Cacetinho	Bread roll (careful: outside the South, "cacete" is crude)	Compra uns cacetinhos na padaria.Buy some bread rolls at the bakery.

Belém and the Amazon

Belém, the port city near the river mouth, where paraenses say "égua" every few sentences, shares "mana" and "carapanã" with Manaus.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Égua!	Wow! Gosh!	Égua, que calor hoje!Gosh, it's hot today!
Pai d'égua	Great, awesome	O açaí daqui é pai d'égua!The açaí here is great!
Carapanã	Mosquito	Passa repelente, que de noite tem muito carapanã.Put on bug spray, there are loads of mosquitoes at night.
Pitiú	Fishy smell	A feira tá com um pitiú forte hoje.The market has a strong fishy smell today.
Pavulagem	Showing off	Isso é só pavulagem, ele nem sabe nadar.That's just showing off, he can't even swim.
Mana	Sis, girl (to a friend)	Mana, quanto tá o açaí hoje?Girl, how much is the açaí today?

Don't mix these up

Word	In Brazil	Elsewhere
Rapariga	An insult for a woman (Northeast)	A plain word for "girl" in Portugal
Bicha	A gay man, often a slur	A queue in Portugal
Puto	Furious, and rude	A kid in Portugal
Gozar	To climax (sexual), and also to mock someone	"To enjoy" in Spanish
Preservativo	A condom	"Preservative" in English. Food additives are "conservantes"
Excitado	Sexually aroused	"Excited" in English. Say "animado" instead
Puxe / empurre	Puxe is PULL, empurre is PUSH	"Push" in English looks like "puxe"
Pasta	A folder, or toothpaste ("pasta de dente")	Pasta, the food, in English. Pasta is "macarrão"
Assistir	To watch (TV, a game)	"Assist" in English. To help is "ajudar"
Pretender	To intend, to plan	"Pretend" in English. To pretend is "fingir"
Esquisito	Weird	"Exquisite" in English, and "exquisito" means delicious in Spanish
Constipado	Can mean a cold or constipation. For constipation say "intestino preso"	A head cold in Portugal. "Constipated" in English
Comer	To eat, but also slang for sex, so watch "quero te comer"	Just "to eat" in Spanish
Dar	To give, but it also has a crude sexual sense	Just "to give" in Spanish
Pegar	To grab, or to hook up with someone	"To hit" in Spanish
Cola	Glue. For a soda, ask for "refri" or "Coca"	A soda in English and Spanish
Salsa	Parsley, on menus and at markets	Sauce, or the dance, in Spanish. Sauce is "molho"
Pila	Money, in Rio Grande do Sul	Slang for penis in Portugal
Parentes	Relatives	"Parents" in English. Parents are "pais"
Educado	Polite	"Educated" in English. Educated is "estudado" or "culto"
Livraria	A bookstore	"Library" in English. A library is "biblioteca"
Embaraçada	Usually tangled, as in hair or a cable. It can mean embarrassed too, but people mostly say "envergonhado" or "sem graça"	"Embarazada" means pregnant in Spanish. Pregnant is "grávida"
Propina	A bribe	A tip in Spanish, so asking about "propina" sounds like you want a bribe. A tip is "gorjeta". A school fee in Portugal
Tarado	A pervert	Stupid or dim in Spanish
Pinto	Crude slang for penis (it also means a baby chick)	Spotted in Spanish, as in "frijoles pintos" (pinto beans)
Fresco	Fresh (food, air). About a person: fussy. About a man it can be a mild anti-gay jab, so skip it	Fresh or cool in Spanish, and cheeky about a person
Camisola	A nightgown	A sweater in Portugal
Borracha	Rubber, or an eraser	A drunk woman in Spanish
Polvo	Octopus, on menus	Dust in Spanish
Bala	A candy, but also a bullet, so context matters	A bullet in Spanish
Apelido	A nickname	A surname in Spanish. A surname is "sobrenome"

Questions people ask

What are common phrases in Brazil?

Start with "tudo bem?" (how are you?), "obrigado" or "obrigada" (thank you) and "com licença" (excuse me). Add "e aí?", "valeu!", "né?" and "bora!" and you can handle most small talk.

How do you say hello in Brazil?

Say "oi!" with anyone, or "olá" if you want to sound a bit more formal. Friends say "e aí?", and you greet a shop or a taxi with "bom dia", "boa tarde" or "boa noite".

How do you say you're welcome in Brazil?

Say "de nada". "Imagina!" and "que isso!" are warmer ways to say "don't mention it".

What are basic Brazilian Portuguese phrases for travelers?

Learn "quanto é?" (how much?), "a conta, por favor" (the bill, please), "passa cartão?" (do you take card?) and "pode me deixar aqui" (you can drop me here). Add "desculpa" (sorry) and "com licença" (excuse me) and you're set for day 1.

Do Brazilians speak Spanish?

Brazilians speak Portuguese, and most don't speak Spanish. Many understand some, but a few Portuguese words like "obrigado" go a lot further.

How do you say thank you, sorry and goodbye in Brazil?

Men say "obrigado" and women say "obrigada", and friends say "valeu!". Say "desculpa" for sorry ("foi mal!" with friends) and "tchau!" or "até mais!" for goodbye.

What does tudo bem mean and how do you reply?

"Tudo bem?" means "how are you?" or "all good?". Reply "tudo, e você?" (good, and you?).

What do tá and tô mean?

They're short for "está" and "estou", so "tá bom" means "it's fine" and "tô cansado" means "I'm tired". Brazilians clip these in almost every sentence.

What does beleza mean?

"Beleza" means "beauty", but as slang it means "all good" or "OK, deal". "Beleza?" asks how you are, and you reply "beleza!".

What does saudade mean?

"Saudade" is the ache of missing a person, a place or a time. "Que saudade!" means "I miss you so much!", and you'll say it about Brazil when you leave.

How do you say cheers in Brazil?

Say "saúde!", which means "health". "Tim-tim!" works too, and you look people in the eye as you clink.

Is gringo offensive in Brazil?

Rarely, since Brazilians call any foreigner "gringo" and most of the time it's friendly.

What do Brazilians call themselves?

Brazilians call themselves "brasileiro" or "brasileira", and "brazuca" is the fun word abroad. At home they're "carioca" (from Rio), "paulista" (from São Paulo state), "mineiro" (from Minas Gerais) or "gaúcho" (from Rio Grande do Sul).

How do Brazilians say "let's go"?

Most say "bora!", short for "vamos embora". "Partiu!" is the slang version, as in "partiu praia!" (off to the beach!).

What is Brazilian slang for a hot girl?

"Gata" is the common, friendly one. "Gostosa" is sexual and rude to a stranger, so save it for someone who knows you well.

What is Brazilian slang for friend, girl and cool?

Friend is "amigo", "mano" or "brother", and you call one "cara" (dude). A girl is "mina" ("guria" in the South), and cool is "legal" everywhere, "da hora" in São Paulo, "maneiro" in Rio and "massa" in the Northeast.

What is Brazilian slang for money?

"Grana" is the most common word, and "bufunfa" is the playful one. "Conto" works like "bucks", as in "dez conto" (10 bucks).

What does kkkk mean?

It's how Brazilians type laughter, like "hahaha". The more k's, the harder they're laughing.

What are Brazilian slang curse words?

The common ones are "porra", "caralho", "puta que pariu", "filho da puta" and "vai tomar no cu", all as strong as the f-word. "Putz" and "caramba" are the safe swaps you can say in front of anyone.

Is Brazilian slang the same in every city?

No, Rio, São Paulo, Minas, the Northeast, the South and Pará all have their own words. "Mermão" is Rio, "meu" is São Paulo, "uai" is Minas, "oxe" is Bahia, "visse" is Recife, "bah" is Rio Grande do Sul and "égua" is Pará.

Is Brazilian Portuguese slang the same as Portugal slang?

Very little is shared. Some words, like "rapariga" and "bicha", mean something harmless in Portugal and rude in Brazil.

Slang in other countries

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Sources

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