25 Brazilian Expressions You Want to Know
Chorar as pitangas.
Literal translation: To cry Surinam Cherries.
Figurative meaning: To cry a river.
Origin: The pitanga, or Surinam Cherry, is a red scarlet fruit. Much like the colour of one's eyes when that person happens to cry a lot.
Category: Colloquial, Frequenty Used
Exemplo: Nós terminamos chorando as pitangas... Eu chorei, ele chorou e acho que vai chorar se conte toda a história!
Example: We broke up crying a river... I cried, he cried and I think you would cry if I were to tell you the hole story!
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Comer água.
Literal translation: To eat water.
Figurative meaning: To get wasted.
Origin: This saying is used in the northeast of Brazil, especially in Bahia.
Category: Informal, Frequenty Used
Exemplo: Essas férias nós vamos comer água!
Example: This vacation we are going to get wasted!
Exemplo: Comi uma água massa ontem no bar!
Example: I had a lot of wonderful booze yesterday at the bar!
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Comer o pão que o diabo amassou.
Literal translation: To eat the bread the devil kneaded.
Figurative meaning: To go through very hard times.
Category: Formal
Exemplo: Comemos o pão que o diabo amassou porque alguém incendiou nossa casa.
Example: We are going through very hard times because someone burned down our house.
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Colocar a melancia na cabeça.
Literal translation: To put a watermelon on his head.
Figurative meaning: To show off.
Category: Formal
Exemplo: Coloquei a melancia na cabeça ontem a noite com o anel de luxo!
Example: I showed off my luxurious ring yesterday night!
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De grão em grão a galinha enche o papo.
Literal translation: Grain by grain the hen fills her belly.
Figurative meaning: To put on weight without noticing.
Category: Colloquial, Frequenty Used
Exemplo: De grão em grão encheste seu papo!
Example: Slowly you put on weight and it went unnoticed!
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Descascar o abacaxi.
Literal translation: To peel a pineapple.
Figurative meaning: To solve the problem.
Category: Colloquial, Frequenty Used
Exemplo: Descasco o abacaxi!
Example: I am trying to solve a problem okay!
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Empurrar com a barriga.
Literal translation: To push something with your belly.
Figurative meaning: To keep postponing an important chore.
Category: Colloquial
Exemplo: Segues adiar tudo, és sedentário! Não empurre com a barriga!
Example: You keep postponing everything, you are a couch potato! Don't delay things!
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Encher linguiça.
Literal translation: To fill spicy pork sausages.
Figurative meaning: To fill space with meaningless things. To get into unnecessary details and bore people.
Origin: Long ago, only wealthy people could have afforded good quality meat. The rest of the people would consume pork guts and high meat cuts. Over time, butchers have started to fill pig intestines with a mixture of low-quality meat. Therefore, when Brazilians lose their sense and they enchem linguiça, or in other words, they fill a void in a conversation with absurd words or a space with unnecessary items.
Category: Colloquial, Frequenty Used
Exemplo: Encheste linguiça pondo as coisas sem sentido, olha para tua mesa, é uma bagunça!
Example: You filled your table with meaningless things, look at your desk, it's a mess!
Exemplo: Encheu linguiça quase adormeci tentando escutár-lo!
Example: He talked about meaningless details about a stupid matter and I almost fell asleep trying to listen to him.
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Enfiar o pé na jaca.
Literal translation: To put his foot inside a jackfruit.
Figurative meaning: To consume something excessively.
Category: Colloquial
Exemplo: Estava de dieta, mas enfiou o pé na jaca de novo!
Example: I was on a diet, but I ate so much again!
Exemplo: Enfiei o pé na jaca ontem e liguei para meu ex.
Example: I got drunk yesterday and called my ex.
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Engolir sapos.
Literal translation: To swallow frogs.
Figurative meaning: To bear to unpleasant things without any objection. To close an eye.
Origin: This idiom dates back to the times when there was a plague in Egypt. Millions of the animals invaded Egypt, but surprisingly frogs were higher in numbers. Most of the food supplies were consumed by the invader animals. Therefore the idiom means to endure unpleasant things without any objection.
Category: Colloquial, Frequenty Used
Exemplo: É seu chefe, o que você pode fazer... Só te cala e continua a trabalhar, anda engole sapos!
Example: He is your boss, what can you do... Just shut up and continue working, go close an eye on things!
Entre marido e mulher não se mete a colher.
Literal translation: Between husband and wife, a spoon does not fit.
Figurative meaning: Nothing goes unnoticed between husband and wife.
Category: Formal
Exemplo: Não pense, não notei! Eu sei bem... Entre marido e mulher não se mete a colher!
Example: Don't think, I haven't noticed! I know it well... Nothing goes unnoticed between husband and wife!
Estar frito.
Literal translation: To be fried.
Figurative meaning: To have a problem.
Category: Colloquial, Frequenty Used
Exemplo: Estou frito irmão!
Example: I have a problem bro!
Exemplo: Estou frito como o governo me enviou um aviso de imposição!
Example: I am screwed as the government sent me a notice of levy!
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Farinha do mesmo saco.
Literal translation: Flour from the same bag.
Figurative meaning: To be just like everyone else.
Origin: The idiom derives from the Latin expression Homines sunt ejusdem farinae – “They are men made from the same flour.” . The flour is used as a metaphor to describe the very essence of men. In ancient times, good-quality flour was stored on top shelves in small packages, however, flour of bad-quality would be often mixed with other type of flours.
Category: Colloquial, Frequenty Used
Exemplo: Vives sob a pressão do público pensando o que eles acham, o que eles direrão. Nao és diferente de os outros. Hã só uma farinha do mesmo saco!
Example: You live under public pressure thinking what do they think, what they will say. You are no different than the others. Huh, just another mundane copy of the others!
Gosto é igual relógio: uns têm, outros não.
Literal translation: Taste is like clock: some have, some don't have.
Figurative meaning: To have innate taste in things, design etc.
Category: Formal
Exemplo: — Você sabe o que Chanel disse: "Se você é insípido, nada ajuda".
— Sim, gosto é igual relógio: uns têm, outros não!
Example: — You know what Chanel said: "If you are cheap, nothing helps".
— Yes, some just have a good taste and some don't!
Gosto não se discute, se lamenta.
Literal translation: Taste is not discussed, it is regretted.
Figurative meaning: There's no accounting for taste.
Category: Formal, Frequenty Used
Exemplo: Não! As flores devem ser vermelhas! De qualquer jeito, gosto não se discute, se lamenta.
Example: No! I think the flowers should be red! Anyways tastes differ and there's no accounting for tastes.
Molhar o biscoito.
Literal translation: To dip the biscuit.
Figurative meaning: To have sex.
Brazilians love biscuit and also dipping it to an afternoon tea or milk! In 2015, an average Brazilian consumed 8.4 kilos of biscuit in a year. This number represents 1.7 thousand tons of biscuit has been sold in 2015 in Brazil. In this case, having creamy biscuits dipped into a hot beverage is like sex to Brazilians.
Category: Colloquial, Frequenty Used
Exemplo: Molhou o biscoito com aquela garota que conheceu ontem noite passada.
Example: He had sex with that girl, he met yesterday night. ​
Não coloque todos os ovos em uma mesma cesta.
Literal translation: Do not put all the eggs in one basket.
Figurative meaning: Do not over multitask.
Category: Colloquial, Frequenty Used
Exemplo: Não coloques todos os ovos em uma mesma cesta!
Example: Do not over multitask, you will fail it all!
O apressado come cru.
Literal translation: The rushed eats raw.
Figurative meaning: More haste, more waste. To not save time from working with rush, as you will make a mistake.
Category: Colloquial, Frequenty Used
Exemplo: Não corras! Vai deixar cair os ovos! O apressado come cru.
Example: Don't run! You will drop the eggs! More haste, more waste.
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O dinheiro compra pão, mas não compra gratidão.
Literal translation: Money buys bread, but it does not buy gratitude.
Figurative meaning: Money can't buy happiness.
Category: Formal
Exemplo: Temos um pouco de dinheiro mas estamos felizmente casados. O dinheiro compra pão, mas não compra gratidão!
Example: We have a little money but we are happily married. Money can't buy happiness!
O que não mata engorda.
Literal translation: What doesn't kill you makes you fatter.
Figurative meaning: What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
Category: Colloquial
Exemplo: Finalmente terminou com tua namorada, dias melhores virão, não chora, o que naão mata engorda.
Example: Finally you broke up with your girlfriend, better days will come, don't cry, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
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Pagar o pato.
Literal translation: To pay the duck.
Figurative meaning: To take the blame for something you did not do.
Category: Colloquial
Exemplo: Paguei o pato. Não queria que minha irmã iria para a prisão, ela é a aluna mais bem-sucedida entre todos nós.
Example: I took the blame on me. I didn't want my sister to go to jail, she is the most successful out of all of us.
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Quando a carroça anda é que as melancias se ajeitam.
Literal translation: When waggons run, watermelons settle.
Figurative meaning: Time is the best medicine.
Category: Formal
Exemplo: — O tempo conserta tudo que precisa ser consertado e destrói tudo que precisa ser destruído.
— Sim sensei! Quando a carroça anda é que as melancias se ajeitam.
Example: — Time fixes everything that needs to be repaired and destroys everything that needs to be destroyed.
— Yes sensei! Time is the best medicine.
Quem com porcos anda farelos come.
Literal translation: Whoever walks with pigs, feeds them.
Figurative meaning: He who lies with dogs, arises with fleas. The rotten apple spoils the whole barrel.
Category: Colloquial, Frequenty Used
Exemplo: Não quero mais vender drogas. Posso morrer neste negócio suspeito. Quem com porcos anda farelos come.
Example: I don't want to sell drugs anymore. I can die by running in this shady business. Whoever runs in shady businesses, will end up hurt.
Se achar o último biscoito no pacote.
Literal translation: To feel like the last cookie in the package.
Figurative meaning: To feel very special.
Category: Colloquial, Frequenty Used
Exemplo: Me acho o último biscoito no pacote hoje, sou a garota da capa de Elle! Ah, sonho que virou realidade!
Example: I feel very special today, I am the cover girl of Elle. Ah, a dream come true!
Tomar chá de cadeira.
Literal translation: To drink a chair tea.
Figurative meaning: To wait for a very long time.
Origin: In the past, when a commoner had a meeting with a noble, he would be held for hours in order to reaffirm the nobles’ superiority over the common. During his wait, the noble would be served cups of tea by his servants.
Category: Colloquial, Formal, Frequently Used
Exemplo: Esperei por você por horas. Contei as aves, contei os degraus da escada. Literalmente, tomei chá de cadeira! Isto não é justo!
Example: I waited for you for hours. I counted the birds, counted the steps of the stairs. I literally got exhausted from waiting! This is not fair!
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