{"id":12312,"date":"2019-11-20T15:08:53","date_gmt":"2019-11-20T20:08:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.pimsleur.com\/?p=12312"},"modified":"2025-11-20T10:08:56","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T15:08:56","slug":"portuguese-slang-phrases-and-expressions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/portuguese-slang-phrases-and-expressions\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Brazilian Portuguese Slang Words and Phrases You Won\u2019t Learn in a Textbook"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Everyday Portuguese Expressions To Know Before You Go To Brazil<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

All language-learners have been there. After spending months enthusiastically learning a new language, we hit a snag\u2026 turns out native speakers have a vocabulary of their own!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is especially true for those learning Brazilian Portuguese. Conversational Portuguese in Brazil is full of slang and cultural references. The everyday lingo is inundated with popular Brazilian slang words and phrases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s the solution:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

10 Portuguese Slang Phrases to Sound Like a Local in Brazil.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n

1.<\/em> <\/strong>Legal<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        Literally: “Legal”<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are seemingly infinite ways to say “cool<\/strong>” or “great<\/strong>” in Brazilian Portuguese, and they differ by region. However, legal<\/em><\/strong> is the dominant word, used commonly from North to South of Brazil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Legal<\/em><\/strong> (lay-gow) literally means “legal”, but it is used to declare all things cool or awesome. New shirt? Legal!<\/em><\/strong> New movie out? Legal!<\/em><\/strong> Got an A on the test? Legal!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


<\/strong>Some other Brazilian synonyms for cool that are slightly less formal include: maneiro<\/em><\/strong>, da hora<\/em><\/strong>, top<\/em><\/strong>, sinistro.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

2. Beleza?<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Literally: Beauty?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Portuguese textbooks, we learn that when we greet someone in Brazil, the go-to phrase is Tudo bem? <\/em><\/strong>(“All good?”), but Brazilians are far more creative than this with their greetings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tudo bem?<\/em><\/strong> is often substituted with Beleza?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of asking if everything is going well, they ask if everything is beautiful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also substitute Tudo bem? <\/em><\/strong>with Tudo j\u00f3ia?<\/em><\/strong>, which literally means “<\/em>All jewelry?<\/strong>” but is interpreted as “All good\/shiny\/beautiful?<\/strong>“<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Bottom line? Next time you greet a Brazilian, ask Beleza? <\/em><\/strong>instead of Tudo bem?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

3. <\/em><\/strong>E ai?<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Literally: “And there?<\/strong>“<\/p>\n\n\n\n

E ai<\/em><\/strong> (ee-eye-ee) is a mouthful of vowels that basically means “What\u2019s up?<\/strong>” It is most commonly used as a way to greet friends<\/a>, often followed by a Tudo bem? <\/em><\/strong>or Beleza?<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the conversation is even more intimate or among friends, it will most certainly contain a mano<\/em><\/strong> or cara<\/em><\/strong> (Brazilian slang for dude\/bro). Here\u2019s an example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gabriel: E ai mano, beleza<\/em>? <\/strong>(“Hey bro, all good?”)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mateus: E ai, como c\u00ea t\u00e1? <\/em><\/strong>(“Hey, how are ya?”)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key takeaway? Don\u2019t get confused when you hear Brazilians greet each other with what might sound like a random noise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

4. <\/em><\/strong>Eita<\/strong><\/em> <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Literally: No translation (sound, exclamation)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eita<\/a><\/em><\/strong> (eh-ta) isn\u2019t a word that is translated in the textbooks, but when you\u2019re surrounded by Brazilians, you\u2019ll hear it left and right.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sound is an interjection that expresses either satisfaction or fear, depending on the situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

5<\/em>. <\/strong>Fica \u00e0 vontade<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Literally: “Be at your will<\/strong>” or “Be at your desire<\/strong>.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re entering someone\u2019s home, Brazilians use this phrase to tell you to <\/em>make yourself feel at home<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re entering a store, this same phrase translates more to “Take your time, go at your own pace<\/strong>.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

6. <\/em><\/strong>N\u00e3o T\u00f4 Nem Ai<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Literally: “I\u2019m not even there<\/strong>.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

N\u00e3o t\u00f4 nem ai <\/em><\/strong>(now-to-neyng-eye-ee) is an informal way of saying “I don\u2019t even care”<\/strong>(or “I couldn\u2019t care less<\/strong>“).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But be careful! I don\u2019t care is very versatile in English, whereas in Portuguese, you have a different expression for each sentiment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, if you want to say “I don\u2019t care about where we eat<\/strong>“, the expression is da igual<\/em><\/strong> (“it\u2019s the same”, literally: “it gives equal”) or n\u00e3o<\/em><\/strong> ligo <\/em><\/strong>(“I don\u2019t care”, literally: “I don\u2019t connect”).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, if you want to say “I don\u2019t care<\/strong>” in the sense that “It is not a big deal”, <\/strong>the expression would be n\u00e3o importa <\/em><\/strong>(“It\u2019s not important.”)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

7. <\/em><\/strong>Sei la<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Literally: “I know over there.<\/em><\/strong>“<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brazilians often insist that this phrase translates to “Whatever”<\/strong>, but it is far more flexible than the likes of the word “Whatever.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most often, it means “Who knows?” <\/em><\/strong>For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gabriel: Por que ele fez isso?! <\/em><\/strong>(“Why did he do that?”)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mateus: Sei la mano <\/em><\/strong>(“Who knows, man.”)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can also be used to mean <\/em>“I have no idea<\/strong>.“<\/strong> For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gabriel: Sei la o que vou fazer mano<\/em><\/strong>\u2026 (“I have no idea what I\u2019m going to do man.”)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a more aggressive way, it can also mean it doesn\u2019t matter or who cares. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gabriel: O que deveria fazer? <\/em><\/strong>(“What should I do?”)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mateus: Sei la cara, o problema \u00e9 seu <\/em><\/strong>(“I don\u2019t care bro, it\u2019s your problem.”)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key takeaway? To sound more fluent, try tune your ears to hear sei la<\/em><\/strong> and incorporate it into your vocab.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

8. <\/em><\/strong>Nossa (Senhora)!<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Literally: “Our (lady)!”<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nossa <\/em><\/strong>(no-sah) <\/em>is used as an exclamation for everything good, bad, exciting, scary \u2013 you name it. But where does this phrase come from?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the largest country in South America with a population of approximately 210 million, 90% of Brazilians identify as Christians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This culture seeps into their slang and colloquialism, evolving into several different ways to say “Oh my God!<\/strong>” in Brazilian Portuguese, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n