10 Extraordinarily Useful Brazilian Portuguese Phrases

07/16/09
Share26 Print This Post 23 Comments ShareThis Popular Written by Adam Roy

Feature photo by SantaRosa OLD SKOOL / Photo above by Rodrigo Solon

Going to Brazil? Here are some Portuguese phrases to memorize before you arrive.
1. Tudo bem?

Photo by Rodrigo Solon

Hows it going? (lit. Everything good?) A super-common informal greeting. The correct response is also tudo bem. 2. O, rbitro! Cad o penalty? Hey, ref! Wheres the penalty? A useful phrase to know when traveling to any football-loving country. Shout as needed at the television, radio, or, when possible, the referee himself. 3. No, no posso faze-lo. No, I cant do it

Photo by SFMission.com

As my Portuguese professor once explained to me, Brazilians tend to avoid saying no. When they do say no, however, they say it as emphatically as possible. If you really want to be clear, tack on another no to the end of the sentence. 4. Legal Cool. One of the most useful slang words in the Portuguese language, you can use legal to describe a whole host of things. People can be legal, as can clothes, places, and, ironically, gangster rap. 5. Como? No falo portugus europeu. Come again? I dont speak European Portuguese. Brazilian Portuguese and European Portuguese are two very, very different dialects. So different, in fact, that Brazilian TV shows are frequently translated and broadcast with subtitles in Portugal. Even if you already speak Brazilian Portuguese, youll probably need some practice before you can understand speakers from Europe or Africa.

Photo by Peter Fuchs

6. Dirige mais rpido, estamos num bairro perigoso. Drive faster, were in a dangerous neighborhood. Its unfortunate, but Brazil is one of the most unequal countries in the world in terms of income distribution, and most major Brazilian cities have several favelas, or shantytowns. While the favelas and their residents have made many important contributions to Brazilian society and popular culture, they can also be very dangerous places, especially for visitors. 7. Como vai, gatinha? Hows it going, baby? (lit. kitten) A pretty simple pickup line. I take no responsibility for what happens if you actually try to use it. 8. Que diaboquem projetou esta cidade? No faz sentido! What the hellwho designed this city? It makes no sense! (for trips to Brasilia)

Photo by malias

In 1954, Brazils government decided that the country needed a new capital. So, they did the logical thing and built a giant, airplane-shaped city called Brasilia in the middle of nowhere. Oscar Niemeyer was hired to fill Brasilia with unusually-shaped buildings. 9. O Brasil lindo maravilhoso! Brazil is magnificent! Lindo maravilhoso is a Brazilian idiom which literally translates to beautiful marvelous. You can use this phrase to smooth things over with any Brazilian friends who may have just heard you publicly mocking their capital. 10. o jeitinho brasileiro. Its the Brazilian way. How can Brazil be the worlds largest Catholic country, the worlds party capital, and an industrial giant to boot? Why did Brazil lay out its capital in the shape of an airplane and stick it in the middle of nowhere? The answer is simple: o jeitinho brasileiro.

COGNATES #1: Substantivos - Nouns

English -al animal hospital moral

Portugus -al animal hospital moral

English -ty capacity eternity flexibility

Portugus -dade capacidade eternidade flexibilidade

English -ism atheism criticism feminism

Portugus -ismo, isma atesmo criticismo feminismo

English -ist dentist humorist tourist

Portugus -ista dentista humorista turista

English -nce, -ance abstinence patience perseverance

Portugus -ncia, ana abstinncia pacincia perseferana

English -or actor color favor

Portugus -or ator cor favor

COGNATES #2: Adjectives - ADJETIVOS

English -al real sensual virtual real sensual virtual Portugus -al

English -ant, ent excellent important patient

Portugus -ante, ente excelente importante paciente

English -ary adversary arbitrary contrary

Portugus -rio, ria adversrio arbitrrio contrrio

English -ic economic metallic pacific

Portugus -ico, ica econmico metlico pacfico

English -id lucid splendid vivid

Portugus -ido, ida lcido esplndido vvido

English -al automobile mobile projectile

Portugus -al automvel mvel projtil

English -ive adoptive descriptive imaginative

Portugus -ivo, iva adotivo descritivo imaginativo

English -ible, able accessible admirable convertible

Portugus -vel, vel acessvel admirvel conversvel

English -ous delicious famous generous

Portugus -oso, osa delicioso famoso generoso

COGNATES #3: Verbs VERBOS

English -ate celebrate create donate

Portugus -ar celebrar criar doar

English -e dance complete imagine

Portugus -ar danar completar imaginar

English -ent, ult, ort comment consult export

Portugus -entar, ultar, ortar comentar consultar exportar

English -fy amplify qualify simplify

Portugus -ficar amplificar qualificar simplificar

COGNATES #4: Adverbs ADVRBIOS

English -ly creatively separately usually Portugus -mente criativamente separadamente usualmente