Slang Flashcards
master REAL portugese
ya
yes
Pá
Translation: Bread
Meaning: Dude!
This Portuguese slang term originated among teenagers, but it is now ubiquitous enough that it’s acceptable in office or business settings.
There are actually two ways that this slang term is used. The most common is similar to an English speaker saying “dude” or “man”. The second, however, is when you are in between thoughts. So, it’s kind of like “uhh…” in English. A slight pause or noise you make to let people know you are gathering your thoughts before saying them out loud.
legal
cool
beleza
Another popular slang word in Brazil is “beleza.” “Beleza” literally means beauty. As a slang word, “beleza” means “yes” or “it’s a deal.” So, if someone asks: “Let’s have a barbecue (“um churrasco”) this weekend?” You might answer: “Beleza! Eu levo a cerveja! (I’ll bring the beer!)”
gato/gata
And, since we’ve mentioned beauty, if someone calls you “gato” or “gata”… say thanks! This is the slang we use to say someone is hot/handsome.
Joia
great.
As a Brazilian slang word, though, “joia” means “great.” So, if someone says: “Hi there! What’s up?” It’s quite common to answer: “Tudo joia (I’m great!) E você? (How about yourself?)”
Mala
But when we want to say someone is annoying, one of the most common slang in Brazil is “mala” (suitcase), as in the sentence: “Meu vizinho (neighbour) é um mala! He makes noise (barulho) all night long.” We could also say that this neighbor “faz barulho pra caramba.” “Pra caramba means “a lot” or “too much.”
Bacana
Nice
Chato
Chato is used to describe someone or something that’s annoying or boring. It’s a common term to vent frustration.
Valeu
Valeu simply means obrigado
Tuga
Tuga is slang for a Portuguese person. While this colloquial term is often used humorously, it can also be used self-deprecatingly by the Portuguese.
Bué
Translation: Very
Meaning: A lot
This slang term is usually used with another word such as “fixe” to give emphasis to what you are saying. For example, saying “bué fexe” means that something isn’t just “cool” but “very cool”.
Paneleiro
Translation: Homosexual
Meaning: Queer
This is the common Portuguese slang term for homosexual. It’s not that politically correct and can be mildly derogatory, but it is a common term that you might hear in your travels.
As with any potentially derogatory term, you should probably refrain from using it yourself. But don’t be too shocked if you hear a native speaker use it.
In Brazilian Portuguese, they say “bicha” when they mean “paneleiro”. You should take note of this as in European Portuguese “bicha” means a queue or line. Don’t get confused.
E Ai?
Translation: An over there
Meaning: Hi! What’s up?
If you hear this from a Brazilian Portuguese speaker, they are greeting you. This phrase is basically the informal version of “Olá” which is “Hello” in both European and Brazilian Portuguese.
It’s a casual and useful expression that is used among Brazilian teenagers much like American teenagers say “what’s up”.. E ai?
