Fala, galera! What’s up, guys? A lot has been said about Brazilians as warm, friendly cheerful people. And there’s certainly some truth to that. On the other side of the coin, however, there is no denying that we have our defeitos (flaws). Sure, we have our qualidades (virtues) and we love a elogio (compliment). But sometimes what we really deserve is um insulto (an insult)! 

Do you know any xingamento (insults) in Portuguese? If not, this changes today! I’ve rounded up a few of the best for you. The beauty of it is that not only are they nearly impossible to traduzir (translate), but they also describe our personalidades (personalities) really well and talk about certain particular características negativas (negative traits) for which we are also known. So learn these unique insults today and watch a Brazilian’s jaw drop when you use it on them.

Pare de ser mala, cara! (Photo by Keira Burton from Pexels)

And don’t worry too much about offending us. After all, at the end of the day, the friendliness always prevails!

mala

Deriving from mala-sem-alça (a suitcase with no handles), mala is someone who is kind of a pain in the ass, annoying or maybe even a stickler. Newman or George Costanza from Seinfeld are classic examples of malas.

• Não acredito que você convidou o João para o churrasco! Aquele cara é um mala | I can’t believe you invited João to the barbecue! That guy is a pain in the neck.
•  – O Mateus só ficou falando dele mesmo à noite inteira – Nossa, que mala | – Mateus was just talking about himself all night – Wow, he’s so lame.

Aquela menina é meio sem noção (Photo by Davner Toledo from Pexels)

sem noção

This is just as popular as it is broad. A sem noção person is, broadly speaking, out of touch with his or her surroundings. Be it by acting in a crazy, lunatic or clueless way, being sem noção also means that you are always on the verge or doing something wild or awkward. It can literally be translated as “no notion”. A classic example in this case are the guys from Jackass.

• Você trouxe mesmo uma garrafa de vodca para beber durante o vôo?! Você é muito sem noção! | Did you really bring a bottle of vodka to drink during the flight?! You are out of your mind!
• Ele é sem noção demais! Pulou na piscina de roupa e tudo | He is nuts! He jumped into the pool fully clothed.

folgado

Be careful with the folgados around you. This kind of person is usually lazy and takes advantage of others because they don’t want to do their share or simply due to lack of boundaries. In English, it could be described as a loafer, layabout, a deadbeat, a freeloader or a slacker. Kramer from Seinfeld can be a total folgado.

Que cara mais folgado (Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels)

• Como assim você pegou meu carro sem pedir emprestado primeiro? Você é folgado demais | What do you mean you borrowed my car without asking first? You’re too cheeky.
• A Claudia tem passado aqui todo domingo para almoçar sem sem convidada, muito folgada ela!| Claudia has been stopping by unannounced every Sunday to have lunch without, she is such a freeloader!

Have your heard any of these insultos before? Which other gírias (slang words) do you know in Portuguese? Deixe seu comentário abaixo. Vejo vocês em breve!