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07 Brazilian Idioms You Have To Know! Posted by on May 20, 2014 in Vocabulary

 

Olá, pessoal! Tudo bem?

I can’t get enough of cool idioms, really can’t. So I decided to share 07 (yes, seven!) very interesting idioms that we use in Brazil all the time!

Estão prontos?

 

01. Ser bom de garfo – to eat like a horse

Não é de admirar que você seja tão gordo; você sempre é bom de garfo!
No wonder you’re so fat; you always eat like a horse, don’t you?

Tenho maior inveja dela: ela é super boa de garfo e não engorda!
I really envy her: she eats like a horse and doesn’t put on weight!

 

02. De saco cheio (de) – fed up (with)

Estou de saco cheio do cachorro do vizinho latindo o tempo todo.
I’m fed up with the neighbor’s dog barking all the time.

Ela disse a ele que estava de saco cheio das piadas bobas dele e que gostaria que ele ficasse de boca fechada por um tempo.
She told him she was fed up with his silly jokes and wished he would keep his mouth shut for a while.

 

03. P(a)ra variar – for a change

Este ano fomos para a praia em todos os feriados. Por que não vamos para o interior desta vez, pra variar?
We’ve traveled to the beach every single holiday so far this year. Why don’t we go to the countryside this time for a change?

Já estou cheio de histórias de amor… Podemos ver uma comédia, pra variar?
I’m sick and tired of love stories… Can we watch a comedy for a change?

*In spoken Portuguese we never say “para variar”. We always say “pra variar”.

 

04. Bater as botas – to kick the bucket

Você soube que o seu Armando bateu as botas? Teve um derrame ou algo parecido.
Did you hear Mr. Armando kicked the bucket? He had a stroke or something.

Não vejo a dona Maria há muito tempo. Talvez ela já tenha até batido as botas.
I haven’t seen Mrs. Maria for ages. For all I know she may have already kicked the bucket.

 

05. Fazer de conta – to make believe

Todas as crianças adoram fazer de conta que são super-herois.
All young children love to make believe that they are superheroes.

Não podemos simplesmente fazer de conta que está tudo certo quando não está.
We can’t just make believe everything is all right when it isn’t.

 

06. Com os dias contados – on borrowed time

Nosso ar-condicionado não tem funcionado direito ultimamente. Acho que está com os dias contados.
Our air conditioning has been acting up lately. I think it’s on borrowed time.

Depois que o Terry passou por duas cirurgias complicadas, sua família sabia que ele estava com os dias contados.
After Terry had undergone two complicated surgeries, his family knew that he was living on borrowed time.

 

07. Jogar duro – to play hardball

Muitas pessoas acreditam que é necessário jogar duro para ter sucesso no mundo dos negócios.
Many people think you have to play hardball to get ahead in the business world.

Os grandes supermercados geralmente jogam duro com os fornecedores a fim de conseguir o melhor preço.
The large supermarkets usually play hardball with their suppliers in order to get the best price.

 

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About the Author: Adir

English / Spanish teacher and translator for over 20 years. I have been blogging since 2007 and I am also a professional singer in my spare time.


Comments:

  1. Eugenio:

    Very useful. Thank you!

  2. Jonathan:

    Este artigo eh bom demais! Por favor, ponha mais!